Fate of Time
by CJRed
Summary: Hermione falls to a spell in the final battle that erases her from time. In one blink she is in 1944 with a charismatic young Tom Riddle Jr. Now she is fighting to not change the timeline and hoping to find a way back to where she belongs. But Fate might have different plans. Time Travel. Tom Riddle Jr/Hermione Granger (WIP)
1. Erased

**Disclaimer:  
**I do not own Harry Potter. All credit for these characters goes to J.K and our deepest thanks for her allowing us to play in the amazing world she created. Basically, anything you recognize is not copyrighted by me. I make no profit off my fanfiction.

**Blanket Warning: There will be lemons, eventually. **

Main Characters:_** Hermione Granger and Tom Riddle Jr. **_

I started this fic for a Tomione fest in 2017. Then, everything kind of went pear-shaped in my life and I had to pull out of the fest. As the fic is basically finished I figured I would post it, obviously this is not canon and I fiddled with dates.

Artwork for the fic can be found on my Instagram and Tumblr: CrystalJeanRed  
(thank you, Vino Amore, for the lovely aesthetic.)

Beta/Alpha: I_was_BOTWP (**my love for her can not be properly articulated in one sentence.)**

I also claim no ownership to songs my muse has picked for the chapters. You can listen to them on the YouTube Channel: CrystalJeanRed  
(Find the playlist by story name!)

* * *

_Music is my Muse:  
__**Won't you help me sober up?  
Growing up it made me numb, and I want to feel something again.  
Sober Up**_

_**Fate of Time**_

**Chapter One  
Erased**

Hermione felt the spell hit her and knew that she had screamed but then everything became fuzzy as she fell as if she was stuck in static. She tried to move, to lift her wand, to yell for help, but nothing happened. She watched as the final battle continued around her. Felt relief and terror as Harry appeared, alive but looking so scared.

Then a wizard appeared and she tried to yell out a warning, however, he stood in front of Harry, shielding him. She tried to listen to what he was saying but her ears were ringing. The wizard appeared to be taunting Voldemort, even in the state she was in she recognized he seemed to have no fear. The mysterious wizard blocked the spells and threw up a large dome type spell she had only heard about from Harry from his experience in the Department of Mysteries with Dumbledore. Whoever this wizard was he was powerful, and then he killed Voldemort, something she knew Harry had never really wished to do, and she let out a slow breath of relief.

It was over.

All around her she could see the Death Eaters giving up or leaving. But, it was getting harder to focus on anything, she felt as if she was watching a movie and the reel was slipping, stuttering.

Suddenly Harry was there and the wizard, he swept her into his arms. With a sort of detachment, she heard their conversation. The wizard was telling Harry that the spell was erasing her from time, that it was old magic, dark magic. She felt his magic moving through her and it was like a soft caress.

The wizard had intense and sad blue eyes as he spoke to her. "You must stay conscious. Block your mind, I am sorry my love, but you can do this. Do not lose hope. Do not let Dumbledore see into your mind, you were right, you were always right. My love, please, save me."

Hermione looked at him in shock as his face faded in and out of her vision. She knew those eyes, she had seen them in old newspaper clippings after her second year, they had haunted her then. Tom Riddle was standing over her calling her his 'love'.

_But you can't love!_ She thought desperately.

In her mind he replied. "_I love you."_

And then Harry was there in her vision, and she could see how worried he was. She tried to reassure him but the world was fading, she couldn't understand what was being said and she was losing focus on those around her.

In another blink of an eye, everything was grey and she was floating. Then she was slamming onto a hard stone floor and people were screaming. She looked up at a man that she recognized from a Portrait in the Headmasters office.

"My word! How on earth! Tom, go and get Professor Dumbledore immediately. The wards, they didn't react!"

Hermione fought to stay conscious and block her thoughts as the man, the man with the blue eyes who had said he loved her, had told her to do. And she occlumented for all she was worth. Dumbledore, he couldn't know. Now she knew why he had said to block her mind. Dumbledore could not be trusted. She blinked as tears poured out of her eyes. Dumbledore had set Harry up to die, raised him to be slaughtered. Hermione shivered as she realized that somehow she had been sent to the past. But she couldn't focus on that now, she had to protect her mind and figure out exactly what past she was in.

Everything she knew about time travel played through her mind as she continued to shiver and silently cry on the floor. She was a bloody mess from the battle, her arm where Bellatrix had carved into her was bleeding profusely, and she had a massive headache and was pretty sure her skull was fractured.

The wizard who had told the boy to get Professor Dumbledore was now yelling for someone to get the nurse; all along still mumbling about the wards not reacting and how very odd it was. Hermione cringed wishing the man would stop talking.

Professor Dumbledore was suddenly there and she felt him try to enter her mind. She quickly threw him off with waves of emotion. Fear, pain, more pain, anxiety. He slipped out and started working on stabilizing her.

She shook her head at the potions. Not wanting to lose her ability to keep her thoughts private. The nurse tisked but set to work helping Dumbledore stabilize her so that they could move her.

"She just fell out of the ceiling. The girl hit the ground very hard and looks like she has been through a battle, Albus. I can't imagine-"

Professor Dumbledore held up his hand. "We will figure out the how later, Headmaster. For now, the child needs care. May we move her Gilda?"

"Yes."

Hermione felt herself being lifted onto a magical stretcher and closed her eyes as it floated along.

"There is no reason for you to come along, Tom," was said in a mild tone by Professor Dumbledore.

Gilda, however, rebuked him. "He is here to assist me, Albus."

Hermione flinched, terrified at the thought of who 'Tom' would be. But her ears were ringing again and she missed whatever else was said. She was starting to black out even as she started taking great gulps of air. She had to stay conscious. She couldn't pass out. But just then someone grabbed her arm and she screamed in pain and everything went black.

**OoOOooOooO**

****Hermione slowly blinked her eyes as bright light seemed to ghost over them.

"Wake up child."

Her eyes flew open and she reached for her wand trying to sit up as fear gripped her.

Suddenly she was immobilized and gasping as her eyes adjusted and a witch she did not recognize in white robes frowned over her. "You are safe, please stay still. Tom! The calming drought."

Hermione shook her head but the woman didn't listen, pouring it down her throat and forcing Hermione to swallow the potion.

Hermione decided that she should go still and work on calming her mind, panic wouldn't help her. She looked around her. The first face she fell on was Dumbledore, he looked deeply worried, his eyes un twinkling as he accessed her. The next person was the person who had found her. The headmaster she supposed, he was a portrait in the head office in her time. She couldn't recall his name. The final face was Tom Riddle and her hand twitched for her wand her eyes going wide. He was young, but not boyish young. No, she would bet that he was in his last year of school. What could he be doing here? From what she could gather it was after term. She hadn't seen any other students in the Great Hall.

"She doesn't look older than fifteen or sixteen," was said by the witch who she assumed was the nurse. "Malnourished, dehydrated, broken bones all over her body, a concussion, someone carved into her with a cursed blade," the nurse shook her head clearly very upset.

Hermione watched as Dumbledore went pale and the Headmaster sank down looking horrified. Tom watched her his eyes flashing with curiosity and something else.

"Who would do such a thing to a child?" was asked by the Headmaster.

Hermione took in a deep breath and tried to think of something to say. But she had nothing that she could tell them. It was taking all she could not to grab someone's wand and Avada Tom Riddle. She had to block her mind. She couldn't change the timeline. She looked at Tom and was startled by his eyes and his voice as he spoke with the nurse asking what she needed. She was right, it had been Tom Riddle in the hall during the battle. The wizard who had whispered to her, who had killed Lord Voldemort, looked and sounded like him, just older. She shook her head and worked on locking away the memory of the final moments of the battle, she had grown good at compartmentalizing her mind. It kept her sane when on the run with Ron and Harry.

Tears still leaked out of her eyes as the nurse bustled around and started forcing potions down her. Tom assisting her handing her the potions she asked for.

"Should we contact the ministry?" Dippit, she was pretty sure that was his name, seemed to be looking at Dumbledore for advice, Dumbledore was watching her closely and Hermione worked to not tense.

Finally, Dumbledore responded his tone soft yet firm. "I am not sure that is the wisest move, Headmaster. We might not want to advertise that someone breached the school's wards just before the start of term."

Hermione almost snorted at that but since she had no desire to speak with anyone from the ministry she stayed silent, although she saw Tom's lips twitch as if he had noticed her silent grimace.

"I will speak with her myself after she is stabilized," Dumbledore said in a calm reassuring voice.

"How will you know she will tell you the truth?" was asked by the Headmaster. "We have to know how she got here. The wards, Albus. They didn't even flinch when she arrived!"

Again Dumbledore was shushing the man and she watched as Tom Riddle looked up deeply interested in this conversation and she let out a small gasp of fright. She didn't want to be interesting to Tom Riddle and if that idiot kept talking-

She let out a sigh of relief as she heard Dumbledore assure the man he would stay and watch her.

**OoOOoOoOOoO**

The next few hours were spent in a haze of pain and potions. Tom did leave when the nurse had to strip her to access her injuries but the witch yelled out everything she found to Dumbledore and she assumed Tom Riddle.

"Curse damage scars, all over the poor girl. More knife damage, not healed yet."

She cleaned Hermione as she went and then dressed her in a soft cotton gown and moved to look closer at her arm before she flinched and said shakily. "Albus, you need to see this."

Hermione watched with frightened eyes as Dumbledore walked in and frowned down at her arm. Suddenly his eyes met hers and he sank down in a chair.

"Can you fix it, Albus?" the nurse asked softly.

Dumbledore pulled out his wand and started muttering over her arm. Hermione looked down in shock, the skin knitted itself together and she gasped.

"You can fix it?" Hermione asked in awe.

Dumbledore looked up at her and his eyes were kind as they moved over her. "Yes, child. No one should have that carved into their arm."

The nurse tutted and shook her head. "There are more, will they scar Albus?"

Hermione flinched as the nurse moved her gown to show Dumbledore the other knife wounds on her torso. She again felt the healing warmth of his spell and probably counter curse moving over her.

"It shouldn't scar if you treat it now that the curse is removed," he said in his normal calm and even tone.

The nurse nodded looking relived and then said, "we shall not speak of it."

"Who did this to you, child?" he asked in a hoarse whisper.

Hermione shook her head. "I cannot say," she whispered hoarsely.

The nurse looked at her with her kind soft green eyes. "You are safe here."

Hermione knew she looked pitiful as she shook her head. "I cannot tell you who, I- they- I do not know."

In a sense that was true. Some of the people who had left the scars on her body were not born yet. So, she technically would not know them.

Dumbledore nodded and moved to sit down while the nurse called for Tom again asking him to bring in a pain potion. Hermione watched the tall good looking boy as he moved in handing the potion to the nurse and looked her over frowning.

"She is too skinny," he said suddenly.

The nurse nodded her tone matter of fact. "Yes, she is."

Hermione closed her eyes not liking what was being said but not able to argue the point. She was far too skinny. She had been hungry for a year now and it was all thanks to the psychopath in front of her.

"Her hair is a mess," Tom said in his detached manner.

Hermione glared at him her eyes flashing open filled with anger. Stupid prat! He smirked at her obviously seeing the venom in her gaze.

The nurse sighed and waved her wand, Hermione felt her scalp tingle, and she knew the nurse had cleaned her hair. Probably wise as it was covered in grime from the battle and her own blood from a head injury.

"She has lovely hair under all that blood," was said with a soft sigh.

Hermione winced as the nurse prodded at her head injury. "We shouldn't need to bandage this, the potion worked well enough. Just a little dittany to keep it from scaring I think."

Hermione held very still as the woman dabbed her wound and didn't even flinch, which caused Tom Riddle to raise an eyebrow at her.

The nurse went back to diagnostic spells before pausing again looking horrified. "My goodness, Albus! Look at this."

Tom was frowning as Professor Dumbledore quickly moved over to look at the spell results. Once he did his eyes flashed to hers full of horror and shock.

"That's extensive curse damage," the nurse whispered horrified. "Albus, she should go to the hospital-"

Dumbledore pushed aside the nurse and waved his wand over Hermione, a bright blue light formed over her and she felt her spin start to tingle. "I doubt that would be safe," Dumbledore said his tone low and worry showing on his face. "If someone has used an unforgivable on her to this extent, I don't believe she will be safe in an open ward."

Hermione watched Tom Riddles' eyes flashed to hers. "Someone tortured her with an unforgivable?" Tom asked carefully.

The nurse nodded her eyes brimming with tears. "For a prolonged period of time. She has cellular and nerve damage."

Hermione gasped as every nerve in her body started to burn and her arms and legs began to twitch involuntarily.

"What is the Professor doing?" Tom asked in the mildly interested tone he had been using the whole night.

"Repairing her nerves. She will have to stay in this bubble for a few hours at least. Depending on how old the damage is and how long it was sustained. Oh, this is just awful; she is so young."

Hermione winced as the pain became greater and bit her lip to not cry out. Dumbledore watched her his face full of a kind of horror. Finally, he moved away but the blue bubble of light stayed around her and her whole body started to twitch.

"It will be excruciating for her," the nurse said shaking her head. "Albus, perhaps we should let her sleep through this? A sleeping drought?"

"No!" Hermione said on a gasp.

Everyone looked at her but she shook her head, biting down on her lip.

The nurse nodded looking sad and sank down.

Tom Riddle stayed standing his eyes shrewd as they studied her.

Hermione closed her eyes and concentrated on keeping her shields up. This allowed her an escape from the pain of her nerves apparently regrowing.

**OooOOoOOO**

Hermione wasn't sure how long she was out for but when she opened her eyes again she was met with the intense blue gaze of Tom Riddle.

"You passed out about an hour in," he said to her calmly. "Dumbledore left annoyed he couldn't break through your occlumency. You're very good at it, doing it now even."

Hermione swallowed but didn't say anything.

He was watching her carefully and then he gestured at her arm. "What did someone carve into your arm?"

Hermione paused not sure what to say and then whispered. "Mudblood."

Tom frowned and picked up her arm looking it over; it took all her energy not to flinch as he touched her. "How was Dumbledore able to cure it?" he asked curiously.

"No idea," she said honestly. "It was a cursed blade."

Tom nodded thoughtfully and put her arm down. "They think you are from the continent but you don't have an accent."

Hermione bit her lip but didn't respond.

He continued to watch her. "You also fell from the ceiling in the Great Hall and that is supposed to be impossible." Hermione raised an eyebrow, and he frowned at her waving his hand. "Apparating into Hogwarts, it's not possible."

Hermione stayed silent as Tom sat forward. "So, I think you couldn't have apparated and I know Dumbledore agrees. That leaves very few other options."

Hermione swallowed again and then said hoarsely. "Does it?"

Tom nodded still watching her. "Time traveler," he said decisively watching Hermione closely.

She knew she couldn't flinch or show emotion and she concentrated on keeping her mind totally blank.

After a bit, he sighed and folded his arms. "Fine, keep your secrets. I already know you had to come from the future though."

"Of course I did. You can't move forward in time," she said hoping her voice sounded as cold as his.

He smirked at her and then nodded, "well, yes."

Hermione looked away wearily and let out a small sigh.

"Are you in pain?" She shrugged but winced and then heard him let out a long sigh. "You can just say you are. I can give you more pain potion."

She nodded. "Just pain potion."

He rolled his eyes as she took the vial from him, swirling it carefully to see its colour, and then smelling it.

"I didn't put poison in it," he said in amusement.

Hermione drank the potion and handed him back the vial. "What is the date?" she asked finally.

He frowned at her. "June third nineteen forty-four."

Hermione looked at him and her blood went cold. "You have already killed Myrtle and your muggle family," she said softly not realizing she had spoken out loud.

He went totally still and his eyes narrowed. "Yes, I have."

She shook her head. "Stay away from me Tom Riddle. I can't change the future."

He moved forward staring at her in a mixture of horror and possibly fear. "So you aren't going to tell them what you know about me?"

She shook her head. "I can't," she said softly. "Just, stay out of my way, and I will stay out of yours."

Tom sat back, watching her and fiddling with the ring, the ring he would make a Horcrux out of. Possibly already had.

Tom let out a long breath. "You are a complication," he said slowly. "I have plans."

Hermione knew her face twisted in distaste. "Yes, I know."

He snorted and then stood up. "I have to tell Headmaster Dippit and Professor Dumbledore that you are awake. They plan on using vertisirum on you while Dumbledore interrogates you."

Hermione closed her eyes. "I am immune," she said in a bored tone. Her eyes snapped back open as something occurred to her. "Why isn't Headmaster Dippit interrogating me?"

"Dumbledore has the real power here; Dippet is merely… a puppet" Tom told her, then added in a cold tone. "Make sure you keep up your shields, if you threaten my plans, I will kill you."

Hermione didn't even flinch at his threat instead she just watched him walk away her heart racing.

**OoOOooOOoO**

Not soon after he left Professor Dumbledore walked in offering her a candy out of his pocket. A candy she assumed would be laced with the truth serum. She declined it politely and watched him instead offer her tea. She accepted it because it would look suspicious if she did not and allowed him to help her sit up.

"Thank you, for healing my arm," she said quietly.

Dumbledore nodded. "Can you still not recall who hurt you, child?"

Hermione shook her head focusing on remaining calm and keeping her shields in place. She showed him emotion and bits of things but kept out any vital information.

"Where are you from child?"

Hermione winced and then said. "You are a very smart wizard; you must know what happened to me."

Dumbledore nodded his face thoughtful. "Can you give me a date?"

Hermione winced and shook her head. "Sorry, no."

Dumbledore took a deep breath. "Are you working for a Dark Wizard?"

Hermione glared at him. "Do you consider yourself dark?" she asked her tone full of her annoyance.

He sat back stunned and then frowned at her. "Hmm, how very complicated."

Hermione nodded and set down her tea. "Yes."

"You can trust me, child."

Hermione almost rolled her eyes. "Says the wizard who spiked my tea with truth serum and tried to offer me candy laced with it?"

He had the grace to flush but then frowned. "I apologize but it's for the-"

Hermione cut him off. "Yes, for the greater good. I understand. I can't tell you what you want to hear, Professor. Please respect that. I am what you think I am, but I can't tell you more than that. I have to protect the timeline, don't I?"

Dumbledore nodded his face pale and thoughtful. "Yes, indeed you do. What do we do with you?"

Hermione sighed and rubbed her arms shivering. "I do not know."

"How old are you?"

Hermione sighed. "I will be nineteen, but I still need to complete my N.E.W.T's."

"Interesting." Was all Dumbledore said, "the school would probably be the safest place for you."

Hermione snorted. "Yes, very safe," she said dryly.

Dumbledore paused his eyes narrowing on her. "You do not think so?"

"Nothing happens this year, I missed Myrtle dying," she looked at him now her eyes full of anger.

He sat back stunned and then nodded. "Yes, you did," he said slowly. "Anything to say on that subject?"

Hermione shook her head, "nothing I can say, sir."

Dumbledore gave a slow nod. "Who taught you occlumency?"

Hermione smirked, "I learned myself, it was needed."

Dumbledore sighed and stood up, "I must think about this. I am not sure we can allow you to attend school, but I also do not think it is safe to put you out of school. There is a dark wizard who would be very interested in you and the knowledge you have."

Hermione thought darkly that he had no idea that there was another dark wizard who was inside the castle who was just as interested in her.

"Well, get on with defeating him already," she said tiredly. "You know you will have to."

Dumbledore paused and stared at her his eyes wide before he nodded. "Yes, I suppose I will."

She sighed. "Soon, you duel him again and imprison him. You haven't yet; you don't have the Elder Wand."

Dumbledore shook his head and she could tell he was deeply concerned by what she had just told him. "Perhaps we should talk again after you have rested."

Hermione nodded at him. "That would be wise."

**OoOooOOoOoO**

Hermione spent weeks locked in the infirmary with Madam Tulie mothering her. She was weak and starting to panic a bit about her circumstances. Tom Riddle, it turned out, had just stayed after term for a bit to do an internship and had now returned to the orphanage, probably to terrorize small children.

The next time she saw Dumbledore he was carrying the elder wand and looking rather haggard.

Hermione nodded at him. "Congratulations," she said simply looking at the wand. "I am sorry you had to fight a friend."

His eyes went wide but then he nodded solemnly. "Thank you. It was not pleasant."

Hermione was sitting in a chair in the infirmary with books around her. "I imagine it was not," she said trying to be friendly. No point in alienating the man she had decided.

"Headmaster Dippit has decided that we must keep you here. We both agree that involving the ministry would be ill-advised. Instead, we contacted the Department of Mysteries, which works independently from the Ministry. They have decided that you will need an alternative identity and shall finish out your schooling."

Hermione sighed. "I can't be returned to my time, can I?"

Dumbledore frowned at her. "No, it is impossible to move forward in time without shattering the bridge. Or at least that is what they have told me. Great minds have been pondering this problem for centuries. Do you know how you were sent back?"

Hermione shook her head and gestured at the books all around her. "It was a spell. It took a bit to take effect. I assume it was some kind of dark magic."

Dumbledore nodded. "I would agree."

Hermione shrugged wearily. "I guess it doesn't matter in the end, does it? I am here and apparently stuck."

"Yes," he said simply.

Hermione nodded trying not to cry. This was a bit much to take in.

Dumbledore spoke again, his voice kind. "Madam Tulie has offered to be your guardian if that is acceptable for you?"

Hermione looked up surprised. "Is that allowed?"

Dumbledore paused and then said. "At this time only four people know how you ended up here. We would like to keep it that way? Having you be a relative of the Tulie family protects you."

Hermione frowned. "How do you gag the student who knows differently?" she asked carefully.

Dumbledore sighed. "He was made to take a vow of silence regarding you."

Hermione snorted at this with disdain, "I would have just changed his memory."

Dumbledore looked at her his eyes showing his displeasure at her remark. "That is not done to students."

Hermione gave him a hard look. "And vows are?"

Dumbledore considered this and then shrugged. "It was felt that it was needed."

Hermione nodded but stayed silent.

Finally, Dumbledore asked. "What were your classes? We will need to test you before we place you in N.E.W.T level classes."

Hermione told him her schedule laughing at his look of surprise. "That's less then I took my O.W.L year," she said with a shrug.

Dumbledore stood up and then said simply. "If it is convenient we can do your testing tomorrow and before term Madam Tuile will take you to get a new wardrobe and everything you need for school. You can stay here until the start of term; a room has been made available to you just off the ward. Madam Tuile will explain the cover story that has been decided for you and we will work out any issues with that before term starts."

Hermione nodded grateful she would no longer need to sleep in the infirmary. "Thank you, sir, and yes that will be fine."

The next day was a blur of activity. She passed the mock O.W.L's with flying colours, surprising Dumbledore with her knowledge and skill. He signed off on her N.E.W.T schedule as the Deputy Headmaster and she went down to eat dinner with Madam Tulie, or Aunt Gilda, as she had asked Hermione to call her.

Most of the professors were still not back for the start of term and she managed to avoid having to answer many questions. The story had been spread amongst the staff that she was Madam Tulie's niece and that she had fled the war on the continent. As Madam Tulie came from a large wizarding family in France and Hermione spoke the language rather well thanks to muggle primary school and her general swotness the story worked.

That was how Hermione Jean Granger became Hermione Fleur Tulie. Hermione had picked her middle name in recognition of Fleur who had told her enough about France that she felt reasonably sure she would be able to maintain her cover. She also read every book on France she could find and had started reading in French to improve her vocabulary. There was nothing to do for her accent, however, so Dumbledore had stepped in with a rather ingenious spell. Now when Hermione spoke English she had the proper accent to go along with her cover story. Her new Aunt also spoke only French with her so that she could improve her pronunciation.

A week before term Gilda smiled at her over dinner. "We will head to Diagon Alley tomorrow to get your things. A new wardrobe is needed."

Hermione nodded anxious to finally get out of the castle and curious about what Diagon Alley would look like in this time period. It should be interesting and was a welcome break from her constant reading. She had decided to try and learn as much as she could on time travel and had spent all her free time reading any book on the subject she could find.

Slip, the Tulie's family elf who had survived the fire had adopted Hermione. Although it went against all of her scruples to do so, Hermione had allowed Professor Dumbledore to bind the little elf to her; which effectively magically made her a Tulie. The little elf had been ecstatic to learn she would have a mistress. Slip brought her books, forced potions down her, and cared for her every day. Hermione spoke with her frequently as the little elf was an encyclopedia of pureblood customs that Hermione figured she would need to know. Slip also kept her company during the day and was there at night when Hermione had nightmares. If the little elf found it odd that Hermione treated her more like a friend than a servant she didn't say anything.

Slip was probably going to be Hermione's only friend. The little elf knew all her secrets. Secrets even her new 'Aunt' didn't know. Hermione knew that her Aunt hoped she would make friends and settle in this time period, but Hermione couldn't see how that was possible. She didn't belong here, no matter what any of them said. Slip seemed to agree although her words about the situation were always cryptic and short.

Hermione had started corresponding with an unspeakable who was looking into her situation. The wizard admitted that he didn't hold out much hope they would figure out the spell and that he felt she should just live her life until they knew more.

She had snorted at that and tossed down the letter. Live her life? She didn't know how to do that. She was numb from years of terror and war. And she did not belong in nineteen forty- four. But, with nothing else to do, Hermione figured she would do all she could to research her situation and settle in for her seventh year of schooling.

Besides, her research had never failed her yet. She tried to have hope. And when she ran out of hope she learned everything she could in order to not draw attention to herself.

Somehow, she would get back to where she belonged.

* * *

**Author Notes:**  
I should be able to update it every week, but again, it is me so don't hold me to that. Merlin knows that when I make plans my Lupus likes to laugh in my face. I currently have a bronchitis infection, walking pneumonia and my blood is too thin. What can I say, I am an overachiever. I missed church, hence you get this story.  
I am also a single momma right now. The hubby is still in Washington waiting on a transfer, it's Uncle Sam, so this could be next week or next year.  
To my mostly Dramione readers. If you are here for this, you are the best, thank you.  
Don't worry, Riddle This and Bond of Fate are not shelved. This fic is just editing while the other two are me needing to write. I promise updates as soon as I have time to indulge my muse.  
To new readers, welcome to my crazy life. You can follow along on Instagram: CrystalJeanRed  
I hope you enjoy the fic.  
Cheers,  
CJRed


	2. That Blasted Hat

Disclaimer:  
I do not own anything or make any money off my fanfiction. All credit to J.K for her amazing world she lets us play in.

Beta/Alpha: I_Was_BOTWP

_Music is my Muse:  
__**You can hide, hold all your feeling inside.  
You can try to carry on when all you want to do is cry.  
Someday**__  
_

**Fate of Time**

**Chapter Two  
That Blasted Hat**

Diagon Alley was an interesting experience in nineteen forty-four. Hermione knew that London was in ruins from the Second World War, but that never prepared you for seeing the devastation yourself. Madam Tulie had ordered her a muggle wardrobe by catalogue. Hermione changed quickly into the basic pencil skirt and blouse with a matching jacket. Slipping gratefully into the right size shoes. The undergarments left her shaking her head, and she frowned for a second as she looked at the silk stockings.

"I thought silk was rationed?" she asked as they left the castle.

Gilda shrugged whispering back in French. "Not for witches dear."

Once in the alley, Gilda took charge. "Now, uniform and robes first, then books and supplies-"

"Would it be too much to ask for a new wand?" Hermione inquired. "This one wasn't mine originally, and it doesn't respond to me quite the way I would like."

Gilda looked at her oddly but nodded in acquiescence.

So, Hermione got uniforms of the finest quality, silk robes, a beautiful blush pink cloak with matching hat and mittens. She also got boots for winter and two more pairs of shoes, both kitten heeled.

Hermione was wandering the bookstore with her 'Aunt Gilda' when they ran into Tom Riddle who was with a group of seventh-year boys. He was in muggle clothes like the rest of them. They looked like they were from a prep school and Hermione felt her heart skip a beat as she recognized a few of them from pictures.

She was looking at the original Death Eaters. The Knights of Walpurgis. She was able to identify Dolohov and Abraxas Malfoy, as well as Nott Sr., and then figured the other two had to be Avery or Rosier. She figured the squat boy behind Tom was a Lestrange. She observed them carefully as Tom greeted Madam Tulie with his boyish charm in full effect.

"And who is this?" he asked turning his smile on Hermione.

"Oh, my niece from the continent. May I present Miss Hermione Tuile. She will be joining you all for her final year of schooling."

Hermione nodded and gave a polite smile not showing her annoyance as her 'Aunt' excused herself with a small smirk to pay for all the books they had picked out.

"Do you speak English pretty bird?" Abraxas Malfoy asked with a half smile.

Hermione turned to him and nodded. "Yes, very well," she said softly.

She had decided that she would project a calm façade as Hermione Tuile. She would have grace and serenity. Basically, the opposite of her personality in her own time.

Abraxas smiled at her fully and stepped forward. "I am Abraxas Malfoy, at your service."

Hermione nodded. "Charmed," she said simply.

Tom smirked at her and watched as his 'knights' introduced themselves. Finally, he said in his most charming voice. "I am Tom Riddle, Head Boy." He gave her a slight bow, and she had to fight not to roll her eyes at him.

"Congratulations on the appointment," Hermione said formerly. "My Aunt speaks very highly of you, Mr Riddle," she said as Gilda approached again.

"Madam Tulie is too kind," Tom said with fake modesty.

Hermione turned to her Aunt who had her packages shrunken and was putting them in her purse. "Well, boys we must finish our shopping, do stay out of trouble."

Hermione smiled again and ducked her head walking back out and not looking back. She flinched as she heard Abraxas make a crude remark about her figure. Gilda had fattened her up rather a lot, and she now had lush curves.

"They are nice enough boys," Gilda said with a small smile. "Tom is very well mannered in my opinion." Hermione choked back on her sarcastic reply and just nodded as they continued to walk. "My brother died you know, in the Muggle war, a firebomb they called it. He had a daughter your age, and she died as well."

Hermione looked up shocked. "I am sorry. I knew your brother must have died for Slip to be bonded to me, but I didn't realise it was recently and that he had a daughter."

Gilda nodded her face sad. "I know dear girl; I am telling you that you have assumed her identity. She was homeschooled due to the war and the record of her birth was lost."

Hermione frowned but nodded. "She was pureblooded, wasn't she?" Hermione asked softly.

Gilda nodded her face flushing. "You are a pureblood now, elf magic means that even one of their archaic spells would show you are of Tulie blood. Do you understand what that will mean to boys like those you just met?"

Hermione sucked in a breath as she considered that. "I am a possible bride."

"Yes, you are. My brother had a vast estate. You will be highly sought after child."

Hermione shook her head. "I couldn't touch-"

Gilda cut her off. "It is done, child. You are his only heir, and I think he would be happy with the situation. He fought against Grindelwald you know; he would be proud that you are continuing on as his daughter."

Hermione shivered but nodded. They were keeping their voices low and speaking in French, but she still glanced around wearily.

It was hard, living with such a secret. Hence why she primarily only spoke with Slip.

At the bank, she sighed the necessary paperwork under the eye of a rather ugly Goblin who was hired to manage her estate. Hermione didn't really care but was at least grateful to learn it meant she could allow him to make withdrawals for her so that she could order whatever she wished by mail order throughout the year. In her opinion, the less she was seen, the better.

**OoOOoOOOoO**

The last stop of the day was at Olivanders. Hermione had assumed she would just get her old wand again, however, either he had not made her wand yet, or she was too changed for it. After an hour Olivander looked her over critically and snapped his fingers, moving to a shelf to the left where five pink boxes sat. He ran his fingers over them all before he grabbed one in the middle and handed it to her.

Hermione opened it and gasped; it was a beautiful wand with leaf etchings on the handle and a wood she didn't recognize.

"Cherrywood, dragon heartstring core, thirteen inches," Ollivander said reverently.

Hermione looked up. "I have never heard of a cherry wood wand. It must not have come from Europe."

Ollivander chuckled. "A smart witch. Japan, child. Now, give it a try."

Hermione picked up the wand and felt her entire arm tingle, she flicked it and watched as golden sparks flew from the tip. She looked up at Olivander who was considering her his face full of wonder.

"In Japan, this wand is highly prized and very picky. Those who can wield it are strong-willed and have tremendous mental discipline. They also are not to be crossed and proficient in non-verbal spells."

Gilda laughed at this, "yes, that sounds like my Hermione."

As they headed out of Diagon Alley, they ran into many families who gave her interested looks and had calculating eyes. Hermione didn't speak much; she figured the less she said, the easier it would be not to say the wrong thing. Abraxas watched her with a bit of a leer as they passed the boys on the way back to the apparition point and she hid her shiver.

"I don't have to entertain their suites do I?" she asked quietly once they had landed outside the gates of the school.

Gilda looked up and then nodded her eyes wide. "No, not at all. I assume you know who they all marry?"

Hermione swallowed and gave a small nod.

Gilda smiled at her kindly, "just be respectful and you should be fine. Anyone you know does not marry is fine I suppose, but that is really a conversation to have with Dumbledore. I would imagine you having a family might affect things, so that's probably not allowed."

Hermione swallowed back the bile in her throat as she considered that. No, a family was probably not allowed to her, and she shouldn't have intimate personal relationships either. There was too much that could affect.

"I will speak with him," Hermione said when she realized Gilda was awaiting her reply.

Gilda put an arm around Hermione. "Come on; the Headmaster has declared that you shall be sorted tonight instead of at the start of term."

Hermione nodded and the swallowed. "Will I sleep in the dorms with the other students once school starts?"

"Yes, I think you should. But if you don't feel comfortable with that we can always-"

Hermione cut her off. "No, that will be fine, thank you."

**OoOOoOOO**

After dinner, they made their way up to the Headmaster's office where he was waiting with a friendly but wary smile. "Ah, Miss Tulie, wonderful. This won't take long at all."

Hermione nodded. "Yes, I remember."

Headmaster Dippit floundered for a moment and then nodded at Professor Dumbledore who walked over with the hat and sat it on her head.

Hermione waited a moment and then shivered as the hat spoke in her head.

_Ah yes, our time traveller, how peculiar. Beautiful occlumency child, very impressive. I can see very little. You were a Gryffindor? How exciting, I would have said Ravenclaw."_

_Hermione laughed and showed the hat his original conversation with her. _

_The hat chuckled. "Indeed, indeed. You would have done just as well in Ravenclaw I am sure. However, I must have had a good reason to put you where I did. But that is not here and now is it? What do we do with you this time? Hmm?_

_Hermione mentally shrugged, and the hat grew silent before it finally said. "Professor Flickwick and his Ravens would be too nosey by half, and I think we shouldn't tempt Professor Dumbledore with your knowledge of what is to come._

_Hermione sighed not arguing on the Dumbledore point. "So, Hufflepuff?" _

_The hat laughed at this. "Oh no, no one who will meet you would ever think you could be a Hufflepuff. You lack the warmth, child. Plus, you are far too secretive and ambitious. There is only one choice._

Hermione felt horror move through her.

"No!" she whispered just as the hat yelled. "Slytherin!"

Hermione looked up as Professor Dippit clapped and met Dumbledore's startled blue eyes.

"I want Ravenclaw," she said her voice trembling.

Dumbledore shook his head and took off the hat. "The hat had to have a reason for placing you where it did," he said softly, but he frowned none the less. "Were you in Ravenclaw before?"

Hermione shook her head wiping at her traitorous tears, thank goodness that hadn't happened in the Great Hall! "No, Gryffindor. I was in Gryffindor!" she said starting to panic.

Dumbledore looked at her carefully and nodded, but she could tell he was not going to do anything. Gilda was oblivious to the problem as she chatted away with an equally oblivious Headmaster.

Hermione looked around at the portraits who all watched her carefully. She had a feeling they knew that she was out of her time. A few nodded at her respectfully and one waved giving her what she supposed was supposed to be a friendly encouraging smile.

Gilda finally guided her out, "I was hoping you would be Ravenclaw, but Slytherin works just as well."

Hermione nodded mutely and went straight to bed not even arguing with Slip when she handed her a Dreamless Sleep potion.

**OoOOoOOOoO**

Hermione walked into the hall as students arrived and very quietly took a seat at the Slytherin table.

Tom walked in and paused as he saw her his benign smile turning into a slight frown. "You were sorted into Slytherin?" he asked taking a seat next to her.

She was proud of herself for not flinching. "Yes," she said serenely.

He didn't speak as the rest of his gang arrived and smiled widely at her.

"Well, here she is, in green no less. How delightful," was said by Malfoy.

Hermione gave him a polite smile but didn't speak. The 'knights' surrounded her, and she suddenly wished she had waited to enter until all the students had arrived. The boys talked and threw her interested glances. Hermione worked on her calm façade and kept her polite smile in place.

"You are the only seventh-year girl," Tom said, his voice quiet.

Hermione looked around the table and found that there were only three girls in Slytherin, all very young. "Why?" she asked curiously.

"They are married off after they take their O.W.L's," he said with no inflexion in his voice.

Hermione cringed and asked. "In other houses as well?"

Tom looked at her for a moment and then nodded. "Yes. Three girls are staying for their N.E.W.T's." He paused and then said, "none as pretty as you."

Hermione took a deep breath and then let it out as annoyance moved through her. "Bloody hell," she said through clenched teeth, unable to suppress a bit of her real personality.

Tom Riddle looked at her in surprise and then smirked. "The good news is Slytherin protects its own. No one will bother you."

Hermione looked at him and then looked away. "Who protects me from the snakes?" she whispered under her breath.

Tom chuckled darkly. "I do."

Hermione felt goose pimples rise on her arms as she recognized the threat in his statement. She looked at him and then said. "I know everything you do from this moment on, Tom Marvolo Riddle; you would do well not to threaten me."

Tom looked at her leaning forward, "you have to protect the timeline though, don't you?" he sneered.

Hermione shrugged and flipped her hair over her shoulder, a very Fleur thing to do. "I am in Slytherin, Tom. Self-preservation. Do not push me," she had moved closer to him and whispered the last bit in a tone that would have had Harry and Ron terrified.

Tom, however, moved closer his nostrils flaring and gave a tight nod. His eyes were a very dark blue, and she looked away, going back to her relaxed, serene pose, and blocking the annoying prat every time he tried to break into her mind for the next ten minutes.

The feast was tedious, and she found that she had lost her appetite although she was careful to eat enough so that when Gilda looked over at her, she wouldn't worry.

When they were dismissed with the three new Slytherin's joining them, all boys indecently, Hermione found Abraxas Malfoy offering her his arm to escort her to the dungeons. Hermione took his arm carefully and thanked him in her new soft, polite tone.

He made small talk, pointing out things as they went and showed her different passageways. Hermione had to work to not show her irritation with the man. He was just as pompous as his grandson, and she didn't like him. Actually, he might be worse than Draco, and that was truly awful.

Once they were in the dungeons, he patted her on the head (well not really but that was how it seemed) and sent her on her way to the girl's dormitory where she had her own room.

Hermione looked around the large room and shivered. "Well, I guess I am not in Kansas anymore," she said softly as she walked over and set a blazing fire in the fireplace across from her bed. After that she made sure to silence and ward her door, she didn't feel like having anyone accidentally wander into her room, looking around the cold dark room she shivered as she changed for bed, grateful she wouldn't be sharing a bathroom with anyone else.

Slip showed up and got her extra blankets tisking at her and shaking her head as Hermione thanked her before she left after making sure Hermione took her nightly potions.

Hermione didn't sleep very well that night in the drafty dungeon. Even with the fire roaring and extra blankets, she was still chilled.

Slip showed up bright and early dragging her out of bed.

"Thank you, Slip," Hermione said sincerely shivering as she got into the bath.

Slip tutted at her and nodded bustling around getting her uniform ready. "Slip is happy to help young miss. You should stop thanking her. You are not in the right time; Slip wants you to feel welcome. It is an honour for Slip to help her young miss."

Hermione was quick with her bath and didn't wet her hair. She styled it quickly using the green silk ribbon Slip had left to tie her curls back into a ponytail at the nape of her neck. She had time to charm her curls so that they were soft and manageable and marvelled at how much her hair had grown since she had arrived. She was also thankful to Gilda for showing her all the beauty charms she had never bothered to learn. They were a part of her mask here. Armour if you will. She had to look the part of the Parisian girl and the pureblood orphan.

"I can't understand why my hair is growing so much," Hermione said looking over at the elf who was polishing her shoes with magic.

Slip nodded. "It is the potions miss."

Hermione looked at the vitamin tonic that Gilda still had her on and nodded thoughtfully. She took three potions still twice a day and downed them dutifully knowing the elf would report her if she did not.

Once she finished, she got dressed in her uniform. The skirt was a pencil skirt, and she was in a beige silk shirt that had a bow tied at her neck. It was incredibly feminine, and she was still getting used to the clingy soft fabric. She was wearing the cashmere cardigan for warmth, and she added a warming charm to her silk green robes as well. Secretly she wished she could put on her heavy cloak, but there had not been a uniform cloak provided. She wondered what she was supposed to do in Winter? Wear her blush pink one?

Slip watched her and asked. "Is miss not finding something?"

"Is there not a cloak for me to wear? One that goes with the uniform?"

Slip frowned and then said. "Oh, yes, it must be coming by owl. Some of your clothes are still arriving miss."

Hermione nodded thanking the elf who again shook her little head at that before disappearing. Hermione headed out shivering slightly even with the warming charms. She had never realized how dreadfully cold it was in the dungeons. Walking out towards the entryway, she found Tom Riddle waiting for her, his face tense. He paused for a moment as she appeared and then sighed looking annoyed.

"Can I help you?" Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow.

He growled out his reply, and Hermione almost laughed. "They were fighting over who would escort you to breakfast."

Hermione rolled her eyes and stepped forward. "Must I have an escort? I know my way."

Tom took her book bag and glared at her. "You will always have an escort," he said disdainfully. "No woman of your age is unescorted from our house."

Hermione sighed deeply and gestured for him to lead the way. "By all means, escort the poor little witch who couldn't possibly find her way to breakfast."

He glowered at her and held out his arm waiting for Hermione to take it. She glared at him for a long moment before she did.

"You don't like Abraxas do you?" he asked as they left the dungeon and entered the hallway.

Hermione shook her head. "No, he is far too full of himself. It will also take every ounce of willpower I have not to kill Lestrange or Dolohov." She frowned, "especially Dolohov."

Tom Riddle snorted. "He is brainless." Hermione didn't disagree but figured she should shut up. "Why Lestrange though?"

"I have my reasons," she said cryptically.

"Are they the reason you looked the way you did when you arrived?" he asked his tone mild.

"No," she said and then sighed. "But I do know who they are, obviously."

"Obviously."

Hermione was silent the rest of the walk and allowed Tom to sit her down at the table next to Rosier before he took the seat next to her. She looked around and had to hide her dismay as she saw that most of the students around her age were watching her; the men with interest, and the women with resentment.

"Your fan club does not seem to like me," she said to Tom quietly.

He looked around and then smirked. "No, they will not. Catty bunch of birds as well, I would watch out for them."

Hermione sighed in annoyance and grabbed a scone.

The men around her made small talk as they waited for Horace Slughorn to waddle down the table handing out schedules.

"Ah, Miss Tulie, wonderful to see you, simply wonderful."

Hermione raised an eyebrow because the man never looked up at her.

"Your schedule my dear, if it is too heavy we can drop a few things. Don't worry your pretty head over that."

Hermione was insulted but still managed to say a polite thank you, taking her schedule only to have Tom rip it out of her hands to look it over.

"You are taking all advanced classes."

Hermione yanked her schedule back and gave him an annoyed look. "Yes, I am aware. I dropped three classes to take these."

Tom looked up clearly surprised. "Did you?"

Hermione shrugged. "Yes, I did."

"Fascinating," was all he said turning to the 'knights'. "She has all my classes; I can escort her."

Hermione grimaced internally at the chorus of moans and booing this caused and then stiffened as she realized Tom would be in all her classes. So much for avoiding him, she thought dejectedly.

They left immediately for Charms. Tom was staying close to her his face back in its perfect mask of the charming English lad he portrayed himself to be. He also continued to carry her book bag. Hermione had given up after a small tug of war with him, not wanting to cause a scene. She walked beside him thankful she at least didn't have to touch him. Abraxas Malfoy was on her right prattling on about people they passed, trying to make himself sound important for knowing everything about everyone. After one corridor Hermione started daydreaming about hexing him, not even bothering to block her thoughts, knowing Tom could hear them when he stumbled and looked at her with a calculated smile. Good, he would see her extensive knowledge of curses and hexes she thought with a small amount of smugness.

Once in class Tom led her to her seat pulling out her chair for her before he nodded at her and took his own. Hermione bit out her polite thank you and sat forward, determined to ignore him.

Her day continued in the same way. Tom walking with her to the classes and one of his 'knights' usually tagging along. No one else approached her, although she did get interested looks.

By the last class, she was a little fed up with the guarding and excused herself to the women's loo. Ignoring Tom's knowing look and biting back her rude remark when he told her he would be waiting for her and reminding her that they shouldn't be late for Transfiguration.

She used the loo and then stood at the sink taking deep breaths as she looked at herself. She looked nothing like Hermione Granger right now. Her hair was shiny and fell down her back in graceful curls. Her cheeks were full and also shone with health. Her breasts heaved perkier than they had ever been in the stiff brassier and silk shirt. She had ditched her cardigan by lunch. She tapped her kitten heel as she looked herself over and then sighed deciding to just go with it. She reapplied her makeup; red lips seemed to be a must in this time period and washed her hands.

The girl next to her in Gryffindor red snorted at her. "He won't court you," she said in a rude tone.

Hermione looked over at her in confusion. "Who?"

"Tom Riddle. I wouldn't bother, he doesn't court girls."

Hermione managed to keep her face blank and just raised an eyebrow before she turned and threw up a silent shield charm and walked out of the bathroom, laughing silently to herself as she heard the girl send a tripping jinx her way.

Tom was waiting for her and raised an eyebrow at her smirk. "What happened?" he asked as they moved off.

Hermione shrugged. "A girl in a red robe told me not to count on you courting me and tried to send a tripping jinx my way."

He looked her over. "Missed did she?"

Hermione snorted disdainfully. "Hit my shield; I wouldn't turn my back on someone I don't know without putting up a shield charm."

Tom nodded looking a bit impressed and then shrugged. "She wasn't wrong about me not courting you."

Hermione blew out an annoyed breath. "I know."

He looked down at her and then frowned. "I suppose you do," he said quietly opening the door for her.

Hermione walked in and waited for him to hold out her chair nodding at him in thanks and then looked straight ahead.

Professor Dumbledore was a good teacher, although she shouldn't have been surprised. The class was still easy for her however and she and Tom ended up finishing first and were excused.

"I am going to go to the library. Do I require an escort?" she asked as calmly as possible. She was ready to hex every Slytherin male; they acted like she was a damn china doll.

"Yes, I will walk you there, and someone will fetch you for dinner," Tom said in a put-upon tone.

Hermione nodded, biting her cheek not to say something rude. "Is there a Head Girl?"

"Malinda Reeves from Ravenclaw," he said his tone now annoyed. "She has a rather large crush on me and is the size of a troll."

Hermione chuckled softly at this and continued walking; cutting through a corridor not even looking to see if Tom was following her.

"If I hadn't known you had gone here before I would now. That isn't a well-known corridor. I would watch that if you don't want people asking questions they shouldn't."

Hermione froze and turned to look at him as she realized what he had said and then closed her eyes. "I explored this summer while staying with my Aunt," she said quietly.

Tom nodded and grabbed her elbow pulling her along. "That would work for most corridors, but half the faculty don't even realise that corridor is behind that tapestry."

Hermione sighed and gently took her arm out of his grip. "Well, the ever brilliant Head Boy showed it to me."

A laugh met this, and she moved briskly through the passageway and out into the hallway that led to the library. She didn't bother saying goodbye to Tom but just nodded at him taking her bag and throwing up another silent shield charm to be safe. He looked livid, although she couldn't imagine why.

The librarian didn't seem as anal as Pince had been and just waved her off when she asked about the Restricted Section. Hermione settled down at a table inside the gated off section figuring she would be left alone and worked on her homework until she heard someone call her name.

She looked up to see Avery smiling at her.

"Great spot to hide," he said winking at her.

Hermione smiled politely, something she hoped she was getting good at and rolled up her essay for Charms. He too took her bag from her, and she took Avery's arm and silently walked beside him, picking up Rosier, and Nott on the way.

"So how was your first day?" Nott asked his tone friendly.

"Busy," Hermione said softly.

Rosier chuckled. "Lot of classes to be taking. I would recommend dropping a few before you get in over your head."

Hermione bit back her sarcastic remark and just inclined her head, "I don't think it will be a problem, my tutors were very thorough," she said with a sweet smile.

Tom was waiting at the table, and Avery placed her next to him before taking the seat on her right.

Hermione ate quietly and carefully smiled at her 'Aunt' who waved at her. The meal seemed to drag on, and she tried to keep from cursing the obnoxious boys around her.

"Where to pretty lady?" Dolohov asked standing up.

Hermione froze not wanting to move, he looked different of course, but his voice was the same, and she just couldn't move.

Tom stiffened next to her and turned. "I am going to give her a tour while I do my rounds, Dolohov."

Dolohov frowned but gave a short nod and headed out followed by Avery and Rosier a moment later.

Hermione let out a quiet breath and then turned to look at Tom who was watching her his eyes hard.

"When did he attack you?" he whispered standing up and taking her bag.

Hermione flinched realizing she must have let her mental guard down in her panic. "It's not important."

He glared at her pulling her up with him. "I have to disagree," he said in a hard tone.

Hermione gasped as he walked her out of the hall and into a disserted corridor. "When?" he said his tone frightful.

Hermione closed her eyes and shook her head unconsciously rubbing the puckered scar on her shoulder.

**OoOOoOoOoO**

Tom watched the witch as she rubbed at the scar that he knew was on her shoulder. Madam Tulie had not been able to cure it, claiming it must have been a dark scar and was a few years old. This bothered Tom because if Dolohov had given her that scar, that would mean that the man had attacked a child sometime in the future. Attacked a child and failed to kill her. He wasn't exactly sure which thing bothered him more, that she was attacked, or that his bloody knight had failed!

Hermione opened her eyes and glared at him. "You know I can't tell you anything so why ask?"

He continued to glare at her and then moved her hand out of his way ripping her blouse around her shoulder to stare at the mark. His eyes widened as he recognized the scaring. It was one of the dark spells he had tweaked last year. He cursed as he realized he couldn't let her walk around with that scar. Pulling out his wand he quickly muttered the counter curse holding her wand arm down and keeping her against the wall. Her eyes went wide, and he could feel her magic moving through her.

"I am healing it," he said bitterly. "I invented that spell last year. I can't have them see this."

Hermione froze and looked at him wide-eyed before she looked down at her shoulder which was red but scar free. "What was it?"

Tom sighed. "When performed correctly it freezes the heart causing it to explode. We practised on rats. It always leaves that scar."

Hermione shook her head. "He missed and was silenced."

"Well he is not very good at non-verbal spells," Tom said grimly repairing her shirt and stepping back.

The witch put her hand over where the scar used to be and just nodded at him. Damn, she was pretty, he thought as she leaned against the wall chest heaving. And she was cautious, didn't trust him, and had a fragility to her that he was sure was deceiving. He wanted to protect her, but the scars all over her when she arrived told him that she could probably protect herself rather well. If she couldn't, she would be dead.

"How old were you?" he asked again using authority in his tone.

She sighed and pushed off the wall. "Why does that matter?"

Tom snarled in frustration. "It doesn't matter," he snarled grabbing her and spinning her around. "So just tell me."

Hermione ripped her arm out of his grasp and glared at him. "I was a fifth year!" she hissed at him.

He froze and then nodded. "Are there any other dark curse scars on you?"

Tom watched the girl shiver and then shake her head. "No. Dumbledore cured the rest."

Tom took a long breath and picked up her bag to carry it for her before he gestured for her to proceed him out of the hall. "Walk with me for a bit, and then I will drop you off."

She didn't say anything else that night until she thanked him politely taking her bag back in the common room and disappearing through the door.

"How was your walk?" Abraxas asked with a leering expression.

Tom turned to him and frowned. "She is off limits to all of you," he said looking them all over coldly.

Lestrange shrugged unconcerned, Nott nodded, while Abraxas looked peeved and Avery looked interested.

"You staking a claim?" Avery asked carefully.

Tom pinched his nose. "As far as you lot are concerned, yes," he said his tone final.

Dolohov snorted, and Tom stared down Avery until the man nodded and lowered his eyes.

"How will she fit into our travelling plans?" Rosier asked curiously.

Tom fought not to roll his eyes. "I have a few years to worry about that, don't I?" Everyone nodded, and Tom sat down. "Spread the word," he said quietly.

Abraxas, who was also a Prefect, grunted. "Ravenclaw was asking about her."

Rosier nodded. "Hufflepuff was as well."

"And the Gryffindors?" Tom asked with a raised eyebrow.

Avery shrugged. "Prewitt's are interested as are a few others. I wouldn't be surprised if some of them head over to her Aunt to request permission to court her."

Tom stared at the wall feeling a strange rage build inside of him. "Be sure and let them know she is not free to be- otherwise engaged." He watched his knights nod and all stand up. "I want two of you with her at all times if I am not available."

Everyone looked at each other not able to hide their curiosity. "Any reason you suspect she would need us to be so, attentive?" Malfoy asked curiously.

Tom grimaced and then said. "Did you get a good look at her?"

Chuckling met this remark and he stood up to head to his dorm, furious over the damn chit. She had looked rather ordinary when he had seen her that summer. Thin, lank hair, non-descript eyes. Nothing remarkable. But she was totally different now, not to mention softer. Bloody beauty charms, she didn't need them but they certainly had most of the male population panting after her. Even if she only seemed to use the minimum amount of them. Which was odd in itself, most witches loved those blasted charms. Besides her lip stain and curling her eyelashes all he could really tell that she did was probably manage to tame that wild hair she had shown up with. She didn't make logical sense.

She was also important, the knowledge she held could mean everything to his success. And, she was dangerous; she was causing him to think and feel things he never had before. He had wanted to kill Dolohov after seeing that flash of memory from her and then seeing her scar. She was lucky to be alive!

He paced his room fitfully and looked down at his ring. She knew what it was, she was dangerous. He couldn't forget that she was very, very dangerous.

Slowly he took the diary out of his bedside table and stared at it. Should he hide it? No, that would look odd. He always kept it warded and in his nightstand, and while some of the Knights were complete nitwits, Abraxas was not and would notice it was gone. Carefully he put it back, adding more complex wards.

He couldn't forget that she was not just a pretty face. She knew his secrets, how many he wasn't sure, but enough that he had to watch her and be mindful that he kept how important she was to himself. It was fine for them to assume he was attracted to her, but they couldn't know why.

No, no one could know why.

* * *

**Author Notes:**  
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I was really shocked by the kind words and favs and follows for this story.

To my Dramione readers who are going on this walk with my muse: Bless you! I really do appreciate you. To the Tomione readers finding their way to my stories, welcome to my crazy life. Did I already warn you? Probably.

Anyways, here is an update. I am only able to update because, as I mentioned, it is already written. Life has been perfectly normal, which means I was in hospital a few times this week due to bronchitis and a mild case of pneumonia. Honestly, I swear I don't try to get sick.

You can follow my life on Instagram: CrystalJeanRed

I also admin a Hermione centric group on facebook and run the social media.

_Enchanting the Bookworm._

Feel free to come and join us!

Cheers,  
Cjean


	3. Time after Time

___**Caught up in circles, confusion is nothing new.  
Time After Time**_

* * *

**Fate of Time**

**Chapter Three  
Time After Time**

Hermione settled into a routine. She went to classes always escorted by Tom and one or more of his 'Kinights'. At free periods she was either in the infirmary with her Aunt or in the library back at the table in the restricted section where no one bothered her.

She kept her head down in class and played at being docile. If asked a question she responded correctly and she got all outstandings on her assignments and tests. But she didn't otherwise bring attention to herself. It was kind of like a game. She poured over etiquette books and pureblood customs and became the perfect little pureblood Slytherin.

After the second week, no one paid her much attention at all. She was utterly boring.

The only person who was not fooled was Tom Riddle, who continued to shadow her every step. The only time he didn't walk with her was from the library before dinner. Usually, Nott and Avery came and got her to walk her down to the Great Hall, always showing her to the seat next to Tom with a smirk.

She knew the female population of the castle was trying to decide what to think about the head boy's attention to the new 'French' girl. Half were convinced that he was in love and the other half were convinced she was following him like a love sick puppy.

Since Hermione had no desire to build friendships with anyone she ignored the chatter and didn't buy into the rivalries. It was safest that way, to not make attachments, but it was lonely. Dumbledore had attempted to speak with her, to try and encourage her to make friends outside of her house, but she had rebuffed him.

"I can't afford to let my guard down," she said quietly. "And I assure you I am not friends with anyone in my house either."

He had sat back looking sad but had nodded at her. "It would appear that Tom Riddle has declared you off limits for others to court. Has he requested to court you?"

Hermione gave him a long look and then said slowly. "No, of course not, I barely know him. My guess would be he is keeping others away from me. No one would challenge him over a witch, a brilliant way to handle the situation without actually having to do anything."

She had watched Dumbledore frown slightly and then he sighed steepling his hands. "There is no reason to believe that you did not live a life while here in this time, child."

Hermione shuddered and shook her head not speaking. She wasn't sure how to tell him that she knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she did not stay in this time period. She didn't have the research to back her gut feeling so she kept it to herself.

Dumbledore hadn't called her back into his office to speak to her after that conversation and Hermione was grateful. Half the time when she saw the kindly old man she wanted to hex him for what he had done to Harry and the other half she wanted to hug him and beg him to change things.

She refused to give up hope that there was a reversal to the spell that had brought her here. As far as she was concerned she had not travelled through time in a conventional manner, so that could mean there was an unconventional way to return her to her own time. Perhaps with the same spell even, if only she could find it.

She started to spend more time in the library or her room surrounded by books. She ordered so many books by catalogue that Gilda teased her she would run out of space in her room.

Slip showed up with a new bookcase to hold all the books that were stacked on her floor and Hermione kept reading. Books had not failed her yet, they wouldn't fail her this time.

She looked up one Friday night at a knock on her door and frowned. No one had ever bothered her in her dorm room. It was late November and she couldn't imagine who was at her door. Her Aunt was away for the weekend visiting friends in London.

"Come in," she said lowering the wards and setting aside her book.

She was in muggle clothes, black high waist wool slacks and a blue cashmere v-neck sweater with thick socks on her feet to keep warm. She had a lovely afghan she had ordered and kept on the large chair Slip had brought for her so that she could read by the fire.

The door opened and Tom Riddle walked in, stopping in shock at what he saw. "How do you find your bed?" he asked looking at the books stacked all around.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I manage."

He walked over picking up books off stacks as he went. "Where did you get all these?" he asked curiously.

Hermione sighed. "I bought most of them, some are from the library, and others just show up." He raised an eyebrow at her and she flushed. "I might have mentioned to the house elves that I loved books, so they send books they find around the castle." She frowned at him and then shrugged. "Plus, the come and go room is always helpful."

He dropped the book and looked up at her his eyes narrowed. "How do you know of that room?"

Hermione widened her eyes. "How do you know of it?" she countered.

He sighed and waved his wand conjuring a plush chair. "I think we should call a truce you and I," he said sitting down and considering her.

Hermione knew she looked confused. "A truce? Are we fighting?"

Tom shook his head his face impassive. "Are we?"

Hermione sighed and held up her arm which was still a bit pink from where Dumbledore had healed it. "We will be, you and I," she said in a tight tone.

He looked at her now cured arm. "Mudblood."

She nodded, not at all surprised he knew what had been carved into it. "Yes. I don't agree with your blood purist ideals, Tom."

He sat back considering her. "You are far too magical to be muggle born, Hermione. Did you fall in love with one?"

Hermione snorted at him, "I am far too magical? So how do you explain the pureblooded wizards you associate with who are pants at magic?" She widened her eyes and said innocently. "Inbreeding?"

She watched his lips twitch before he smirked and then inclined his head. "So you are a muggle born?"

Hermione shrugged not answering him and went back to reading the latest book that didn't seem to be giving her any answers. She had no desire to have this conversation with the future Dark Lord.

**OoOOoOOoO**

Tom watched the beauty in front of him with knitted brows. She was damn frustrating. She didn't respond as she ought to. He had been so sure she would have a hard time slotting herself into this time period and that she would have to ask him for help, but she hadn't. The annoying chit was the perfect little docile pureblood, even as he caught glimpses in her head of her murdering her fellows when they annoyed her.

She really was rather blood thirsty. Every time Slughorn patted her on the head and treated her like a fragile miss, even though she had just made a perfect potion, he watched her picture interesting ways to torture the man in her head.

When Dolohov or Rosier made sexist comments it was utterly fascinating to see her smile politely as she cursed them in her head. Currently, she was imagining ways to hex him into oblivion and she looked completely peaceful sitting there in her chair with her book.

"What are you looking for in all these books?" he asked finally.

"What do you imagine I am looking for?"

Tom turned and considered all the titles of the books around him. He frowned as a clear pattern started to take place. "Time spells, ancient magic, bridge of time, you think you can get back?"

Hermione looked up and sighed. "I shouldn't be here; it goes against time. Why shouldn't I be able to go against time to get back to my right place?"

He considered her for a moment and then nodded thoughtfully. "It's logical in an illogical way that makes magic make sense."

Hermione snorted but didn't look up from her reading.

"So a spell sent you here?" he asked picking up a book and flipping it open.

Hermione paused as if thinking before she nodded and continued reading.

"But you don't know which spell?"

She again nodded not looking up.

"Who cast it?"

"One of Lord Voldemort's favourite followers," she said in a monotone.

Tom dropped the book and stood up breathing heavily. How did she know that name? No one knew that name but his knights.

"Who told you that name?" he demanded his wand out and pointing at her in an instant.

Who had betrayed him?

"Oh put the wand down, no one betrayed you," she said her tone cold and angry but her body language perfect, she hadn't even flinched when he pointed a wand at her.

He went still watching her, how had she known what he had just thought?

"You are not the only clever person in this castle anymore, Tom Riddle. If I know occlumency so well why is it so shocking that I would also know legilimency?"

He sank down in his chair his wand dropping to his knee as he realized he had not been keeping his thoughts to himself.

She gave him a firm nod and then snorted at him her face disgusted. "I have known of Lord Voldemort for as long as I have known of magic," she said sneering at him.

He watched her, trying to determine if she was telling the truth, as always her shields were in full effect. He only got base emotions or whatever she wished to project. Currently, it was him being strung up by his-

"Must you think such things?" he asked going pale.

She rolled her eyes and said. "Must you invade my mind?"

He sat back realizing they were again in a stalemate. "One of my knights sent you back in time?"

"A rather nasty witch tried to erase me from time, right before she was killed herself," she said and then looked at him her face confused. "I am not sure I can trust what I remember, it didn't all make sense. Lord Voldemort was there, I was focused on-" She stopped and shrugged as if realizing she shouldn't probably continue talking.

He was shocked she had told him so much to be truthful. "You were bloody; did I do all that to you?" he wasn't sure why it was so important that he know that, but it was.

She shook her head. "Not directly," she said finally her tone soft but rather brittle.

Tom sighed and picked up a book again flipping it open.

"What are you doing?" she asked her voice now sounding curious.

Was she never afraid of him? If what she was saying was true and he had hunted her, had a follower curse her back in time, shouldn't she be afraid of him?

"Looking for a way to send you back," he said his tone mild.

She laughed and then sobered. "You don't help anyone unless there is something in it for you. Why do you want me gone?"

Tom frowned angrily, "you are a distraction that is not needed."

She frowned at him but then shrugged and ignored him again, irritated him again. He watched her for the next hour. She read quickly and bit her lip a lot as she did.

"How old are you, anyways?" he asked suddenly.

She smirked and then said sassily. "Older than you."

Tom scoffed but then paused looking at her. "Really?"

"I am nineteen; you are seventeen about to turn eighteen."

Tom put down the book. "So old. How are you still in school?"

She looked up and then frowned. "I skipped a year to kill parts of your soul."

He wasn't sure if he should believe her or not and sat back watching her. "Which parts?" She didn't respond and he frowned. "Which parts?"

"Go away, Tom."

He wanted to growl or torture her, but he hesitated as something occurred to him. He had only made one Horcrux so far, certainly he was planning to make more, but currently, he only had his diary. The ring was his next one and she obviously knew that but if she meant 'parts' plural and had killed more than one. When did she do this? He itched to go and check on his diary.

"I didn't kill your diary," she said turning a page not looking up. "A second year does, and your big ugly snake too."

Tom sat stunned unable to speak as she calmly sat there.

"You fail, Tom. In the end, you die, as friendless as you are now, and you are ended by those you consider inferior."

"Why are you telling me this?" he finally asked his tone not as strong as he would like.

"Everything I read tells me that even if I wished to, I cannot change the timeline. Time does not allow it," she finally looked up and her eyes were full of a sadness that left him breathless. "Are you really so miserable that you must destroy the world?" she asked her tone soft.

He blinked at her suddenly feeling as if she was laying him bare. "You dare?" he said angrily.

She rolled her eyes. "What can you do? Torture me? That's been done. Kill me? I still defeat you eventually. I have nothing to fear from you, Tom Riddle."

He looked at her as he processed what she was saying and then he glared at her. "I could hurt you."

She nodded. "You have, I almost starved to death last year, I watched my friends die, I watched you torture and kill people I cared about. I was tortured almost to death by your 'most loyal' crazed lover."

"I do not have lovers," he said outraged.

Hermione shrugged and then gave a short laugh void of humour. "I don't think she realizes that. She is sickeningly devoted to you; just your name from her lips sends her into thick desire," she shuddered and then sat up. "Oh! Here see for yourself."

Tom stood up but it was too late she had projected an image into his mind of a crazed woman with wild black curls that was on repeat until he forced the image out of his head breathing hard.

"See what I mean?" Hermione asked sweetly, although her eyes were hard with hatred.

He sank down staring at the girl in front of him as horror moved through him. "That is what I look like?"

Hermione frowned at him and then tilted her head projecting back the image he had seen of the snake like man.

"Yes," She said with no inflexion. "You are much better looking now."

Tom was shaking as he sat there staring at her. She watched him but didn't add anything else.

Eventually, she looked away going back to her reading as she flippantly threw out, "perhaps that is why you don't frighten me, I have seen the worst of your dark soul and lived."

Tom stood again and left, not wanting to be in the same room with the witch anymore. He didn't want to see what else she knew. The future he had envisioned had never looked like what she had shown him.

**OoOOoOooO**

Hermione stayed in her room that weekend, taking meals next to her fire as she poured over more and more texts. She had many theories, but nothing that really gave her an answer.

She had pulled out her library from her time on the run with the boys and decided that she was rather safe from impacting the timeline. None of the books had changed, she wasn't sure how she knew that this meant that she couldn't change anything, but she did.

Then just before Yule, she got a letter from an unspeakable who confirmed her theory.

She was here, but she shouldn't be here, the spell used on her was not going to sit well with time and would eventually dissolve. Nothing she did here would alter what was already going to happen. Of course, they didn't tell her if she was going to die when the spell dissolved, or just end up back in her proper time. They had to leave things interesting after all, she supposed.

Tom found her again that night and walked in unannounced. She shouldn't have been surprised he could take down her wards.

"What was in that letter?" he asked his tone hard.

She looked up and shrugged at him pointing at the letter on her desk.

She spent almost all her time in his company and he was usually very well mannered. She didn't look too closely at the fact that he was actually becoming one of the few things she liked about this time. They spent most of the day battling each other silently with legilimency now.

"So you were right about not being able to change time?" he said quietly frowning.

Hermione shrugged. "I am always right it would seem," she frowned at that and then shook her head. "Someone said that to me before I came here actually. That I was right, that I was always right."

Tom snorted. "Or you were delirious and dreamed someone saying that to you."

"Or that," she said leaning back in her chair and looking into the fire. "I wonder how long I have?" she asked tonelessly.

She heard him moving through the room and watched him pull up the chair he had conjured before so that he was sitting next to her, she hadn't gotten rid of it. Instead, she had used it to stack books on.

"You are just giving up?" he asked his tone mild but his eyes flashing.

"For tonight I suppose. Unless you have any idea what spell was used on me I really have no clue what to do. Plus, knowing the witch, it was probably dark, ancient, and obscure."

Tom didn't argue this point, she was right, the spell that had been used in her future probably was dark, ancient, and most definitely obscure.

"Why did she cast it on you?" he asked finally.

Hermione frowned and shrugged rubbing at her head. "It's a bit of a blur. I don't know that she meant for it to be me honestly. Your lover was a bit unstable and there were a few others around me she could have been aiming for, I was just lucky enough to get hit with it."

He flinched as she mentioned his 'lover' and frowned at her again. "Can you show me?"

Hermione looked at him and then sighed sitting up. "I suppose."

She projected her memories and he frowned as he watched things unfold from her perspective and then shook his head in disgust. She was right, it was a fuzzy muddled mess of sounds and sights that didn't tell a very good story.

"Who was the man who was speaking to you afterwards?"

Hermione looked up, "I have no idea."

"He called you his love, clearly you knew him."

She flushed and then shook her head. "Actually I don't. I didn't have anyone who I was in love with or who would be in love with me. I had been on the run, living in a tent trying to survive. Also, he was older, he looked to be in his twenties."

Tom frowned at her but nodded. "Maybe you travel to more than just this time?"

Hermione shuddered at that idea. "Merlin, let's hope not."

Tom sat back going over the scene she had shown him in his head and wondering why he was bothering. Why he was helping her?

"Why are you helping me?" she asked right on time.

Tom looked at her and shrugged. "I have no idea," he said honestly frowning at her. "You intrigue me."

Hermione snorted and huddled back under her blanket going back to staring at the fire. "Some Ravenclaw passed me a note today," she said yawning.

Tom sat up. "Which Ravenclaw?"

Hermione sighed. "A seventh year, he wants to take me to Hogsmeade. I declined. It worried me though."

"Why?"

"The letter said no one would remember me, but what if some random bloke falls for me and doesn't ask a witch he should be going with out? What if they are wrong and I can be remembered? I wouldn't want to have someone not be born because their father fell for the wrong witch. I know they said I can't change time, but if they are wrong-" she trailed off frowning into the fire.

"You are not worried I will remember you?"

She shook her head. "No. You are too busy to care about me."

Tom frowned; he would never be too busy to not care about her as far as he could see. She took up far too much of his thoughts.

She worried her lip and then shrugged. "Plus, when I just disappear, I don't want people to have to mourn me."

"Hufflepuff of you," he said with a sneer. He would miss her! She couldn't just, dissolve, as she was picturing.

She laughed and then leaned back. "I am sitting in a room alone with the Dark Lord and you are calling me a Hufflepuff? Also, they are a lot braver than they get credit for."

He smirked at that and then said. "You show no proper respect if I am indeed your Dark Lord."

"I never said you were mine," she added with a cheeky grin before she went back to staring at the fire. "Why do you not love? Is it because you were conceived with a love potion?" she asked after a bit.

Tom sat up looking at her and then said, "Was I?"

She looked over at him and frowned. "Yes, they theorize you were. Didn't you ask your father before you killed him?"

Tom frowned and then shook his head. "He knew about me you know, that she was having me. He said he tried to kill her but she escaped. They told me my whole life that my mother died from poor health. What if she died because he had hurt her? I just-" he couldn't go on and swallowed. "I killed him, and his parents who sneered at me while calling my mother a whore."

Hermione sighed deeply and then shook her head. "You have a lot of anger inside of you."

Tom sat back on his chair frowning at the fire. "You think I am awful, don't you? Even before I do all the other things I do, you think I am awful."

She considered him a moment and then spoke softly. "I think you were a lost child, hurt, angry, confused, and you used your magic to control your surroundings. In some cases terrorizing others who terrorized you. I did the same as a child before I knew what I was doing. It's rather normal honestly, to use our magic to protect or get even before we understand it."

He looked at her his eyes wide. "But he made it seem like there was something wrong with me, that I was bad."

Hermione didn't ask who 'he' was and instead just nodded. "He never liked you, which is rather unfair to be honest, because you craved positive attention and wanted desperately to be liked."

He grimaced at her. "That makes me sound weak."

She shrugged. "You were a child, Tom. All children can and should be weak. Why did you open the Chamber of Secrets?"

He swallowed and looked away from her. "I was curious to see if I could. It seemed like a lark and then it just spiralled out of control, that girl was killed and they were going to close the school."

Hermione nodded. "So you blamed Hagrid."

He nodded. "So I blamed the half giant."

"Do you feel any remorse?" she asked curiously.

He shook his head. "I don't think so. I didn't know her and I wasn't trying to kill her."

Hermione frowned at him thoughtfully and then said. "So you don't feel responsible, even though you opened the chamber?"

He shook his head. "No. I didn't know that could happen. If anyone is to blame, it's Slytherin for putting that monster down there for me to find."

"Interesting," she said simply and then she looked at him as if he was a puzzle. "And the Horcrux you made of the Diary?"

Tom sighed. "I can't explain that to be truthful. I made it that night rather by accident out of my anger. I think that spell, once you know how to do it, is senitite. It lives inside of me. When I killed my father and his parents I almost made another."

"The ring," she said softly and he nodded. "Why frame your Uncle?" she asked her tone calm and curious.

"I saw in his mind how he treated my mother, what he thought of her. I wanted to punish him for that."

Hermione sat back looking a bit shocked and then said slowly. "I don't blame you for that. From what I understand your grandfather and uncle were horrible to her. She grew up terrorized and abused by them."

Tom nodded and then stood up angrily pacing. "I killed the Riddle's after I opened the Chamber; I was a bit of a mess that summer. What I saw in his head, what I saw in my father."

Hermione watched him and then said in frustration. "This is why the wizarding world needs good Psychiatrists."

He turned to her angrily and she held up her hands. "Listen to what you have had to deal with in life? Who wouldn't be screwed up? Granted not all of them would go homicidal but is it really so surprising you have no real love of humanity?"

He stared at her and then said. "I am evil, remember?"

She sighed. "You will be, that is true. Maybe you are now, I can't say. But you didn't have to be evil. I refuse to believe someone couldn't have done something. Why did they leave you in the orphanage? They knew you were there, they had to. I have a real problem with how the Ministry handles magical children. There is absolutely no oversight in any way. Muggles who show magic are abused by their parents for being different. Magical children are warped and beaten just because of tradition in some pureblood families. Why did no one save your mother for Merlin sake? She wasn't even allowed to attend school!"

Tom had stopped pacing and was staring at her his eyes wide. Gone was the calm, serene pureblooded witch. This one had fire and it was one hell of a turn on.

She was breathing heavily as she looked at him. "You make a law that says all magical children have to go to Hogwarts. It's stupid because you don't include muggleborns, but it also is brilliant because it means that no witch will have to suffer as your mother did. No magical child will be locked in a home as a servant and abused unable to learn magic."

Tom was stunned by what she was saying. She was right, in so many ways, she was right. He should have been told sooner about what was going on with him, about his magic. His mother should have been protected. He frowned at her as she sat there glaring at the floor angrily.

"Were you abused?" he finally asked, his stomach twisting at the possibility.

She looked up and then sighed heavily. "No, although I was very confused. When I was finally told about magic so much made sense. My parents were very supportive. I was lucky. But, I have a friend who was raised by relatives after his parents died-" she paused and then shook herself and continued. "He was locked in a closet under the stairs, starved, beaten, and even after he went to school he was sent back to that house every summer. And he was sent back by Dumbledore, it's very hard not to hurt that old man."

Tom knew his eyes were wide as he took in what she was saying. "He didn't protect him? Was he a Slytherin?"

"No, he was a Gryffindor," she said with disgust.

Tom walked over and sat down. "I- well that is very hard to believe. He coddles the Gryffindors."

Hermione nodded her face weary. "I know he does, it is hard not to notice that and it doesn't change in my time. I hate the inner house rivalry too. It's stupid. Not all Slytherins are bad and not all Gryffindors are good."

Tom watched her carefully and then looked away, thinking about all she had said.

Eventually, she let out a husky sigh and looked at him. "Listen, I am not excusing your bad behavior with the rotten childhood card, Tom Riddle. You killed three people and were at the very least partly responsible for a student dying. You can't just avoid responsibility for that, but you should also realise that a lot of your anger, hate, and resentment is not necessarily your fault."

He pondered that for a moment and then said. "And how do I take responsibility for anything? I can't change the timeline either, can I?"

Hermione looked rather despondent and nodded sadly. "No, you can't. So I guess it doesn't matter."

Tom narrowed his eyes and then stood up. "I should go."

Hermione sighed and waved him off not speaking.

**OoOOoOOOOoO**

Tom didn't stop in the common room instead he headed to his room and slammed the door as he considered all that had been said and all that he had learned tonight speaking with Hermione.

"I couldn't forget her," he said sinking down on his bed letting his head drop in his hands.

He didn't know how he ended up as that snake like man with that crazy woman hanging on him but something she said absolutely did not make sense. "I could never forget her," he said again as he laid back on his bed and pondered the problem.

A memory charm? Was the time spell looped with a memory charm so that once she left you forgot about her? That would certainly help guarantee that she didn't change the timeline. He frowned as he worked through the possibilities of this and then he got up and decided to go for a walk, he needed advice and he knew who to speak with.

**OooOoooO **

The Centaur walked into the moonlight and watched him carefully.

"What does the heir of Slytherin wish of me now?"

Tom sighed, "Advice."

The Centaur went still and then said slowly, "Advice?"

Tom nodded. "You know of the time traveller?"

The Centaur inclined his head. "She will fade."

Tom growled in anger. "Why?"

"She does not belong here; time is erasing her as it is want to do when things happen out of order."

"So because she is born in another time she can't remain in this one?" Tom asked thoughtfully.

The Centaur nodded, "And no, heir, you cannot prevent her birth to keep her here."

Tom felt his shoulders slump in defeat; that had been exactly what he was thinking. "So she will go? Will I remember her?"

"Possibly."

Tom paced in the circle of moonlight, "What she has shown me, I don't want that."

There was a heavy sigh, "You should not have seen it to not want it. Time will prevail, it always does."

Tom shook his head, "So that is it? I lose her?"

"You never had her," was said in a calm tone.

Tom felt anger move through him and then snarled kicking a rock, "But I do have her, I have her now. I want her, she- she makes me feel like there is hope."

The Centaur studied him and then said slowly, "Time and fate are two different things. You are dealing with both."

Tom turned and stared at the beast. "Fate? We are fated?"

"Possibly. If so, then you will always find her in time."

Tom was silent his eyes staring at the sliver of moonlight on a tree as he considered this. "Fate and time," he repeated his mind racing.

"I will go now."

Tom looked up as the beast left silently and then walked slowly back to the castle. Fate and time. He had to do some more research. He had never bothered much over fate, but he would be doing an intensive study of that branch of magic now.

* * *

Author Notes:  
The chapter was already written so all I had to do was edit it. I hope I caught everything. I don't think my beta got to this chapter when I was writing this in 2017. Sorry, all mistakes are mine.  
Hopefully, you are still enjoying the story.  
As always I adore hearing from you! You can also find me on Instagram: CrystalJeanRed  
Cheers,  
CJean

Cheers,  
Cjean


	4. Take My Hand

**_Take my hand, take my whole life too, but I can't help falling in love with you.  
I can't help falling in love with you.  
UB40_**

**Fate of Time**

**Chapter Four  
Take My Hand**

Hermione woke the next morning with a stuffy nose from crying. She watched as Slip appeared with tea and fussed over her, she was going to miss the little elf.

"I like him and he is a monster," she said to Slip as the elf dressed her hair.

Slip made a small noise and then said, "Miss knows he is not yet the monster she fears."

Hermione shook her head, "He killed, he has killed already and he is so young."

Slip was quiet but then said, "But you do not hates him for that, you hates him for things he has not done yet."

Hermione sighed wrapping her arms around herself, "He is broken."

"So is you, miss," Slip said kindly.

Hermione gave a wry smile and then shook her head not able to argue that point. Yes, she was rather broken too, and she had killed herself. Albeit under very different circumstances.

"His darkness frightens me."

Slip nodded. "You has dark to miss. Every wizard and witch has dark."

Hermione closed her eyes as she considered that, and then nodded as she realized Slip was right. Even Dumbledore had secrets and darkness to him and he had been considered a 'light' wizard.

"I can't stay," Hermione said hopelessly.

Slip jumped down and held out her cloak. "You is not in the right time," Slip agreed.

Hermione sighed and put on her cloak grabbing her bag and thanking the elf who popped out with a worried expression.

Hermione made it to the common room and found Tom waiting for her his expression clouded.

"You look tired," he said walking up and taking her bag.

Hermione nodded. "I had a rough night."

Tom looked her over for a moment and then sighed surprising her by grabbing her hand and pulling her along.

"I did as well. I spoke with someone about you."

Hermione looked up frowning. "Who?"

He shrugged. "No one you need know. He told me that you were not allowed to stay in this time because you belonged in another. Simply put, time is trying to erase you."

Hermione nodded shivering. "Yes, that is what I have gathered as well, and what the Unspeakable theorized."

Tom let out a long breath and squeezed her hand. "But fate is different than time, Hermione," he said quietly.

Hermione looked up at him curiously but they were joined by Nott and Malfoy so she said nothing. Classes dragged on, and she was so wrapped up in her thoughts she didn't even realize that Tom was holding her hand now throughout the day.

It wasn't until they walked into transfiguration that she snapped out of her daze.

"_Block your mind, Hermione." _

She jerked and looked at him sand then flushed realizing that they were in Dumbledore's classroom.

She nodded at him as he held out her chair and put up her shields. She felt a push and raised an eyebrow at Tom who shook his head discretely telling her it wasn't him and she sighed in annoyance.

Dumbledore moved through the lesson and when it was over she waved at Tom giving him a look. He smirked and moved to wait for her outside.

"Professor Dumbledore, may I ask you something?"

The old man looked up.

"Do you want the world to know about your sister?" Dumbledore went pale and she glared at him. "I have shields up for a reason. I know things I shouldn't know. Please let me be."

Dumbledore sank down in his seat and then gestured towards the candy on his desk. "Lemon drop?"

Hermione sat down and shook her head. "I don't think I can change the timeline. I am rather sure time is trying to erase me as we speak. I should not be here; if you could just ignore me, that would make my time here much easier."

"I do not trust Tom's interest in you."

"I understand, but I can't change his path. I wouldn't help him even if I could. I am Muggle-born, sir. Think about that logically. He is courting pureblood friends who will never accept me and my kind. I will disappear and he will not even remember me."

"He was holding your hand," Dumbledore said frowning.

"I am a pretty girl in his house and all his classes. He is seventeen. Why is that so odd?"

Dumbledore shook his head. "You do not understand he has never-"

She cut him off. "How do you know? He spends his summers in an orphanage, how do you know he doesn't have a sweetheart there? I honestly doubt he has not found a girl pretty before. He certainly doesn't find men attractive."

Dumbledore flushed and Hermione sighed as he confirmed a suspicion she had. "I apologize," she said politely.

He nodded and then sighed. "You should not be here, child."

Hermione felt sadness creep through her. "Yes, I am aware. I am simply trying to survive until time figures that out. I mean you no harm."

Dumbledore watched her for a moment before he nodded and stood up. "My sincere apology for what has happened to you."

Hermione smiled at him although it didn't reach her eyes. "Thank you. I had better go."

**OoOOoOoO**

Tom was waiting for her leaning against the wall with his bag over his shoulder and hers in his hand his face tense.

"What happened?" he asked stepping forward to look her over.

Hermione shrugged. "I asked him to leave me alone. He seems to agree that time is against me. I think the word he thought was 'abomination of time' but that was after I reminded him of something he doesn't like to think of."

Tom glared at the door behind her and grabbed her hand with his free one. "You are not an abomination," he said angrily.

She smiled up at him and then laughed causing Nott who had fallen in with them to look at her in surprise. She shook her head and leaned into Tom who smiled down at her and then shook his head at Nott who was looking at him as if he had grown an additional head.

"What?" Tom demanded.

Nott smirked and then shrugged, "Nothing."

Hermione rolled her eyes and socked him softly in his side. "You probably frighten them when you show emotion," she whispered when he looked down at her. "They are used to you being so sedate."

Tom thought about that for a moment and then snorted. "They must find me very dull," he said when Nott had moved ahead of them.

Hermione shrugged. "Possibly, mostly they are afraid of you."

"I haven't started actually torturing them as I imagine," he said in annoyance and Hermione snorted out a giggle.

"Sorry, I should chastise you, but I spend half my day picturing ways to torture most of them. They are so annoying."

Tom smiled down at her and then tucked her into his side wrapping his arm around her and ignoring the stunned looks he received as they headed for the library.

"I have decided to help you with your research," he said setting down their bags on the table.

Hermione looked up in surprise. "Don't you have things to do?"

Tom shrugged. "You will not be here indefinitely, Hermione. I wish to spend as much time with you as I can before you go."

Hermione felt a thrill run through her and then she sighed sinking down in her chair. "You are scaring me," she said honestly looking at him a bit helplessly.

"How?"

She shook her head and then gestured around her at the restricted section, "Never mind. Where should we start?"

**OooOoOOoO**

They spent their Yule break in the library. Tom becoming more frustrated as they always came to the same answer.

Time would right itself.

Hermione sighed heavily on Christmas Eve and shut a book looking up at him her eyes haunted. "I wouldn't mind so much if I knew what time was going to do with me?"

Tom frowned and then closed his book too. "Maybe we shouldn't focus on the time aspect of this spell."

Hermione looked up. "What do you mean?"

Tom looked away and rubbed his face tiredly with his hands. "Well, from a time standpoint everything that is meant to happen does happen, right?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, that is the theory, although I don't understand it. I was able to change time in my third year with a time turner."

He looked up his face bright with curiosity. "Explain?"

She smiled at him, he was so demanding. "I saved a man from the kiss. I rescued him and a magical creature from death. Is that not changing time?"

Tom frowned at her and waved his hand. "The whole story if you please. What happened to him after you did this?"

Hermione explained the events leading up to saving Sirius and what happened after with a slight frown.

"So he died, never really living in the wizarding world. He was in hiding and then he was killed," Tom said slowly.

Hermione looked up at this and then nodded biting her lip. "Well, yes, I suppose so."

Tom shook his head. "I think you changed his fate, not time."

Hermione picked up a book and then set it down frowning at him. "I don't think I understand what you mean?"

Tom nodded looking frustrated. "You changed his fate, but time caught up with him. He still died, just not from the kiss."

Hermione sat quietly for a long time and then shrugged looking a bit defeated. "I suppose you are right. So I can change fate but not destiny? Do you think time is really destiny?"

Tom looked up his eyes flashing as he considered this. "Perhaps fate changes destiny but not time?"

Hermione sighed. "We are talking in circles and I am getting a headache."

Tom chuckled but then sighed looking annoyed. "It's a puzzle, but back to the original question; if everything that is meant to happen will happen, does it not stand to reason you were meant to be here?".

Hermione paused her face going thoughtful. "So this was, fated? Me being sent back in time?"

Tom nodded his eyes meeting hers. "Yes, perhaps this is fate, not time that we need to worry about."

Hermione shook her head and then frowned. "You asked who that man was in my memory."

Tom looked up curiously. "Yes."

Hermione looked at him and sent him the memory again. "Look at his eyes," she said as she replayed it through repeatedly in her head for him to see, not breaking eye contact so he got a clear picture.

Tom frowned as he watched the scene and then he sat back in shock. "That's me."

Hermione nodded. "Yes, it looks like it is."

"Are you positive that you are not imposing my face on his?"

She shook her head. "No, I have a very good memory and I linked that scene in my head so I could study it. It's as I saw it and I think that is you."

Tom looked around wildly for a moment and then said in a whisper, "I kill myself? How is that possible?"

Hermione was quiet and then said, "And you do something to me, before I disappear, some kind of spell."

Tom frowned and then stood up grabbing their bags and then pulling her up his face anxious, "Let me escort you back. I need to think, Hermione."

Hermione nodded allowing him to pull her out of the library and into the common room where he bowed to her and turned on his heel and left.

Hermione sighed watching him walk away her eyes troubled and then rushed off to her room to go to bed. She really did have an awful headache.

**OoOOOOOooO**

Tom moved through the castle quickly using a back passage out of the dungeons and into the woods. The Centaur was waiting for him. He had an idea, but to do it would require magic he had only seen in obscure texts. It was knowledge that had been forgotten by wizards, but not-

"You have need of me, Heir of Slytherin?"

"I need you to teach me a spell."

The Centaur looked at him. "Any magic I do would be far too advanced for a wizard."

Tom nodded his tone respectful, "I understand, but I wish to learn it anyways."

The Centaur watched him for a moment and then waved his hand causing a scene to shimmer. He watched as the scene Hermione had shown him played out in front of them like a moving picture.

"She is correct, that is you, but not as you are now."

Tom let out a deep breath. "What do I need to do?"

The Centaur shook his head. "You must love her, more than you love yourself."

Tom frowned. "I do not know how to love."

The Centaur looked at him and raised an eyebrow. "Come back when you do and I will teach you."

Tom growled in frustration as the beast left.

**OoOOOooO**

Tom poured over texts day and night after that, not even realizing it was his birthday until Hermione walked up with a package and placed it down on his book. They were in the common room and he looked up surprised to see an elf putting a cake down on the table as well as pumpkin juice.

"What's all this?" he asked his voice gruff from ill use.

Hermione sank down at his feet and took the book out of his lap. "It's your birthday. Did you forget?"

Tom scratched at his nose and shrugged. "I suppose I did."

Hermione gave a half smile. "Well, open your present and we can have cake. We don't even have to share it with anyone else, they are all having a snowball fight on the grounds."

Tom chuckled and picked up the package, he had never gotten a birthday present before. Slowly he unwrapped it. There was a thick jumper in Slytherin green made of cashmere and another package. He looked at her confused and opened the second one, it was a jewellery box. He frowned and opened it, and then almost dropped it.

"Is that?"

Hermione sighed and picked up the box. "Yes, it is. I managed to convince someone to hand it over, it is best you don't ask how."

He looked at the locket in disbelief. "This was my mother's. My Uncle asked about it. It's Slytherin's locket!"

"Yes, I don't know if it will stay with you when I disappear but I felt you should have it. I went into a store and it-" Hermione shrugged looking a bit uncomfortable, "well it was like it called to me. There was another piece I hoped to get for you but I couldn't sense it like I could the locket."

"Someone has something else belonging to Salazar Slytherin?" Tom asked stunned.

Hermione sighed. "No, another founder. You are quite obsessed with Hogwarts. But this was sold by your mother when she was too weak to do magic and needed money. She got a penance for it. I figured you should have it back. She wore it, always. I think she had to be very desperate to sell it, and I think she sold it for you."

Tom took in a deep breath and touched the locket. "Thank you, Hermione."

She nodded and then gave a sad smile. "You make it a Horcrux and we destroy it. I wore it when it had your soul in it."

Toms' startled eyes met hers. "You wore a piece of my soul?"

Hermione nodded closing her eyes. "Yes, I did. I wasn't as affected by it as the boys were. Ron especially, it made him mental."

"Which one is he?" Tom asked curiously.

She had told him little bits about her life, enough to know that she had really only had two friends. Both boys, and that she was rather fond of one, almost like he was her kin, and rather embarrassed about the other who had apparently liked her.

Hermione flushed. "The one that had a crush on me."

Tom snorted, well no wonder his soul hated that wizard. He took the locket out and studied it before he carefully put it away. "I don't know what to say?" he admitted.

Hermione laughed, although not unkindly. "Just say thank you and let's eat your cake."

When the other Slytherins returned it was to find Tom Riddle sitting on a sofa with Hermione Tuile sleeping on his chest, a book held over her stomach.

No one walked over to them but everyone gossiped about it once they got to their dormitories. Nott even sending a letter to Abraxas that night.

None of the 'knights' knew what to make of the relationship between the French witch and their Lord.

Tom spent the night watching her sleep stunned by how much she meant to him and trying to sort out what exactly that meant in his head. He had heard someone talking about a crisis of faith once when he was little at the Orphanage. He had found the idea laughable, but as he sat there that night, his mother's locket in his hand, and watched the witch sleep on his chest. He felt very sure he was suffering such a crisis.

He was changing, had changed, and he didn't understand it all. Was this love? Was it supposed to confuse him like this? He pondered that throughout the night, sure of one thing: he didn't know what he would do if he woke up and she was gone.

Somehow, someway, he had to keep her.

* * *

**Author Note:**  
Grammarly is my beta.  
I_was_BOTWP was my alpha.

I had to split up the chapter because I want to work out some story bits and it was rather long. This was originally a fest piece that I never submitted in 2017. Now that I don't have a word count to stick to I want to make sure I am flushing out the story properly and giving it the love and attention it deserves. I hope you don't mind that this means it might take a bit more time to get chapters to you.

As always, I deeply appreciate your support, love, favourites, follows, and reviews.

Don't forget you can follow me on Instagram: CrystalJeanRed

I also realised that I forgot to update youtube with the songs for this fic. I will rectify that post haste! My YouTube is also under: CrystalJeanRed and all of my stories have playlists.

Can't wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter.

Yes, Tom is going to be fluffy. I am the fluff, happy ever after, queen. It is how I roll. My life has enough darkness. I escape it in my writing.

Cheers,  
Cjean


	5. Love

**_There is just no rhyme or reason.  
Only this sense of completion.  
I Knew I Loved You_**

**Fate of Time**  
**Chapter 5**  
**Love**

The first day of the new term found Hermione walking out and smiling at Tom who was waiting for her with a bouquet of violets.

"Are we courting now?" Hermione asked as she took the flowers from him feeling shy.

He smirked and then shrugged. "I suppose we must be."

Hermione held up the violets. "Hence the flowers?" Tom nodded and she laughed standing up to kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you, they are lovely. Let me just put them in my room, will you wait?"

Tom nodded and took her bag as she rushed off to put her flowers in her room.

"Sappy," was said in a drawl behind him.

Tom turned around with a raised eyebrow at Abraxas Malfoy who was standing in the portrait hole.

"You give three girls a week a bunch of flowers," Tom pointed out coldly.

Abraxas shrugged. "I don't agree that I am courting them when I do though, and I am not caught cuddling with them in the common room."

"Do you have a problem with my choice of companionship?" Tom asked his tone friendly but his eyes full of ice.

Abraxas straightened and shook his head. "Not at all. Good pureblood family, she is smart, and knows her place."

Tom nodded feeling his stomach tighten at how Abraxas viewed Hermione. The blond had no clue who she really was. "Good," Tom said simply.

Hermione came back out and smiled at him before she slipped her hand in his and then paused as she took in Abraxas smirking at her.

She immediately put on her polite façade although her thoughts were not so calm. Tom had to hide his smirk as she thought about ways to hex the large wizard in front of her.

"Oh, good morning, Mr Malfoy."

"Always so formal." Abraxas teased before he bowed politely and said. "Good morning, Miss Tulie."

Hermione looked at Tom and he nodded. "Breakfast," he said waving for Abraxas to move out of the way.

He missed her teasing as they walked. She was always so careful around his knights. He found that he was both relieved and irritated by her polite demeanour. He was relieved because it was hard enough to deal with his followers and their simple crushes on her that he knew would become obsessive if they knew her true spirit. He was annoyed because it meant they thought she was beneath them, and she most certainly was not.

"Don't you look fetching today, Miss Tullie," was said by Nott with a wink.

Tom fought to not kick the man as he looked at her breasts for longer than was necessary.

Hermione nodded at him and swept her cardigan over her nipples, letting Tom know that she knew exactly what the man was looking at. She was always cold and with her simple silk blouse sometimes her nipples stood out. He glared at Nott who flushed and looked down. Tom took out her cloak and put it on her before he poured them some tea.

"Tom, Slughorn wanted to talk to you," Avery said as he sat down. "I ran into him in the hallway on the way here. Seemed urgent."

Tom sighed and grabbed some toast and his bag. "Avery, Rosier, get Miss Tullie to class on time if you please."

He saw Hermione give him a dirty look before she smiled politely at the men who would now walk her to class.

Tom rushed down the hallway to Slughorn's office knocking loudly.

"Sir?" He said his tone friendly, "I was told you wished to see me?"

Slughorn frowned looking up at him. "Yes, yes. Very good, sit down son."

Tom sat down and watched the man before he slipped into his head and then sighed. Ah, so it was time to have the 'talk'.

"Now Tom, I don't want to seem presumptuous but there have been rumours flying around and if they are true I need to speak with you about etiquette you might not be aware of."

"Yes, sir?"

"You see Miss Tullie comes from a pureblood family. Sadly, with no father that leaves her a bit adrift of things, but she still is dictated by societal rules."

Tom nodded allowing the man to continue speaking.

"I understand that you two are courting?"

Tom inclined his head. "I suppose we could be described as courting, yes."

"A fine match, Tom. Fine match. But you need to speak with her Aunt before this is a formality. I can explain-"

Tom held up his hand. "I understand the rules, sir. I will meet with her Aunt post haste."

Slughorn deflated looking relieved. "Oh, very good Tom. We can't have it said a Slytherin didn't follow these customs. We are not riff raft now are we?"

Tom shook his head. "My apologies for worrying you, sir. Miss Tullie and I have enjoyed a friendship these past months. It is only very recently that I would say it has graduated beyond that, but as you say, I shall speak with her Aunt immediately."

Slughorn stood up holding out his hand. "I knew you would understand my boy. Jolly good. My congratulations on the courtship."

**OooOOoo**

When Tom next caught up with Hermione he had missed Charms and was a bit irritated. Madam Tullie had made him sit for tea and questioned his intentions more than once.

Hermione looked up at him in surprise as he grabbed her hand and took her bag from Nott.

"What happened?" she asked curiously looking him over.

Tom shrugged. "I will tell you later," he said and sent her a picture of him having tea with her 'Aunt' looking very uncomfortable.

Her eyes widened but she nodded and turned back to Rosier who had asked her a question, apparently about the homework.

"I copied my notes for you," she said once they started walking again.

Tom nodded and then shook his head in annoyance. "Did I miss anything?"

Hermione shrugged. "Not really."

When she handed him the notes at lunch he looked them over and huffed. "All we seem to do is review anymore."

Nott snorted. "Getting dull, I have to admit. What are you two doing in the library all the time?"

Hermione looked up in surprise and then flushed at Nott's leering glance.

Tom stiffened and then shook his head ignoring the question entirely.

**OoOOoOooOoO**

That night they sat quietly at their table in the library each of them lost in their own thoughts. Finally, Tom spoke.

"Do we agree that you can't alter Lord Voldemort's destiny?"

Hermione looked up shocked that he had used the name before she spoke very slowly. "Yes, I agree that seems impossible. But, Tom, you are Lord Voldemort."

His eyes were narrowed as he studied her and then he said slowly. "Lord Voldemort is a part of me yes. But the more I think about your memory the more I question things. I think you need to tell me everything, I think it's very important."

Hermione shivered watching him carefully, pushing into his mind and seeing nothing but his desire to solve the puzzle of her predicament. Could she do that? Tell him all she knew?

"I will have to think about this." She said finally her tone uncertain.

Tom nodded and then sighed running his hand through his hair. "I think I have an idea of how I was there to do whatever spell I do on you, but I need all the information to be sure. If it would make you feel better, I will agree to let you bind me to any type of oath you like to feel safe giving me access to the information."

Hermione knew her face was blank with stunned shock. "You would let me bind you to an unbreakable vow?"

He nodded looking earnest. "Knowing you it would have no loopholes."

"What if I need to remove some memories I give you? Would you allow that?"

Tom considered her for a long moment before he nodded slowly. "I would."

Hermione nodded and worried her lip before she said. "We would need a third person for the vow."

He grimaced. "Any of my knights would be fine, I will just remove the memory afterwards."

"I- that seems like it might work but you are asking me to trust you, and, you spend my life trying to kill me."

Tom flinched and then shrugged. "I am no saint, but I promise I have not seriously considered killing you since the first night I met you, and to be fair, knowing how much you despise what I become, I would bet you also wished to avada me."

Hermione flushed and ducked her head. "Yes," she said simply and then sighed. "Give me a week to consider this."

Tom looked at her for a long moment and then said quietly. "Do you have a week, Hermione?"

She sighed and rubbed at her temples. She kept getting headaches anymore. "I don't honestly know," she said her tone worried.

**OooOOoOO**

The next night they sat quietly in her room both of them in armchairs by the fire.

"Is it appropriate for you to be here?" Hermione asked as she put down one of her many books.

Tom looked up from his own reading and shrugged. "Probably not. Do you wish me to leave?"

Hermione shook her head a slight smirk playing at her lips. "No, not at all. I was just curious. I haven't had a chance to speak with my Aunt. I am sure there are all kinds of rules."

"Undoubtedly," he said with a sigh before he tossed the book he was reading aside. "Tell me something about yourself, something I don't know."

Hermione looked up startled and then bit her lip for a moment before she said softly. "I was an only child, but I always wanted a sister."

Tom nodded his eyes narrowed in thought. "I hated the orphanage," he said finally.

Hermione scoffed and sat back tucking her legs under herself. "Who wouldn't?"

Tom set aside his book and gave a slight smile. "The hat never thought of putting me anywhere but Slytherin."

Hermione rolled her eyes, "I already knew that, Tom."

His smile widened. "I hate wizarding candy."

Hermione couldn't help the giggle that bubbled up at this revelation. "The frogs are the worst," she said when she had stopped giggling.

Tom shuddered and then frowned. "If you could go anywhere in the world where would you go?"

Hermione hesitated a moment and then sighed. "France, I adore Paris."

His eyes lit up and he nodded. "So, you already knew French?"

Hermione shrugged and started playing with the blanket on her lap as Tom sighed deeply.

"You still do not trust me, do you?"

Hermione looked up and felt her face flush.

Tom stood up and bent down to kiss the top of her head. "Goodnight, Hermione."

She watched him walk away holding her breath and then slumped in her chair when he had gone.

"No, I do, and I shouldn't," she whispered helplessly to the now closed door.

**OoOOo**

The next morning found her with puffy tired eyes and Slip bossing her around.

"I don't know what to do, Slip?"

Slip tisked at her and tied the ribbon in her hair. "Miss will know when Miss should know. Not before."

Hermione couldn't help the small chuckle at this bit of elf logic and hugged her small companion before she took up her bag and left to find Tom.

She noticed he looked as tired as she felt. He studied her a second before he took her bag.

"You aren't sleeping," he said softly his hand at the small of her back guiding her to the hallway and breakfast.

"No, not really," Hermione replied.

Tom let out a long sigh and tucked her into his side. "I worry for you."

Hermione looked at him and was startled to see that he did indeed look worried. Not knowing what to say she ducked her head and they walked to breakfast in silence.

**OooOo**

Three days later Hermione looked up from the transfiguration essay she was working on and studied Tom Riddle, considering all she knew about him and thought she had known about him. Something wasn't adding up, and she didn't like where that left her. She simply couldn't imagine that the well-mannered boy who walked her to class holding her hand and her book bag was Lord Voldemort. Granted she was sure everyone who knew him from school might say this, she didn't see him with his 'knights' at their meetings every week. It was a puzzle, and one she wasn't sure how to work out, not without giving more away then she was comfortable with. But the vow, it was a brilliant idea except for one thing, he had a Horcrux. Revealing her story meant he would know there was a potion to bring back a body. She shook her head and worried her lip until he let out a long sigh.

"Out with it? What has you giving yourself an ulcer?"

She blew out a breath and said very quietly. "Horcruxes."

He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I have one."

"So how would a vow really work, Tom? You can't die, and that's what an unbreakable vow means."

She watched as his face clouded and then he sighed setting down his quill. "I hadn't considered that." She raised her own eyebrow in surprise and he flushed setting aside his essay. "Look, I have no intention of breaking the vow, so although I doubt you will, believe me, I hadn't thought that through and come to that conclusion."

Hermione nodded but then shrugged. "Well I have, so I am sure you can see why I am at an impasse."

Tom nodded his head slowly his face troubled. "We could… what if you were in possession of it?"

Hermione went cold. "What?"

He shrugged looking uncomfortable and frowning. "For the duration of this- event, you hold my Horcrux and we add to the vow a stipulation you could not- harm it?"

Hermione considered that and then nodded slowly. "I suppose that could work. If you break your portion of the vow I could make sure your Horcrux is destroyed. But that is working under the assumption that you really only have made one, Tom."

He blew out an annoyed breath. "Merlin, how were you not in Slytherin before?" He paused for a moment and then said, "Verisirum, I am not immune."

Hermione narrowed her eyes and then said. "I would have to make it."

"I will just get us some from Slughorns stores."

Hermione thought for a moment and then said. "I think I would be comfortable with this if I knew you only had the diary, and we added those stipulations to the vow. Dolohov is my choice for the vow, I have erased his memories before, it's not difficult with his mind."

Tom flinched but inclined his head in agreement. "As you wish. When would you like to accomplish this?"

Hermione sighed going back to her essay. "Saturday, if we are scarce over the weekend not many will care as we are 'courting', and we can use the Room of Requirement. I will need a pensive."

"And you think the room can provide one for you?"

She shrugged. "If it can't I will have to ask Slip to help me."

"Slip?" Tom asked with a grin. "Your imaginary friend?"

Hermione glared at him. "A house elf."

Tom paused and then shrugged. "I will secure the truth serum before then and we shall head to the room after breakfast."

"Keep the stopper and wax on it," she said not breaking eye contact.

Tom flinched and then nodded, "As you wish, Hermione."

Hermione bit her lip and nodded before going back to her essay, not able to articulate anything else to the conversation and feeling awful for again showing that she did not trust him.

Her heart was about to beat out of her chest. This weekend she would tell Tom Riddle the full story.

* * *

**Author Notes:**  
Thank you for your patience and thank you for all your well wishes. I am of course still struggling with Lupus and about to get ready to bridge myself off my blood thinners in preparation for my surgery.

It is spring break for my kiddos this week. I am not sure if that means I will get time to write or not. But, I promise to attempt to keep something updated as we continue into April.

I ended up splitting this chapter so this is the second half. I also added a bit more and that means I second guessed myself for a few days. In the end, I think I like the finished chapter and hope you do as well.

I haven't taken a long look at the next chapter but I think I will be splitting that up and adding some bits to it as well. I appreciate that you are letting me tell this story and so supportive. I honestly feel I have some of the best readers and cheerleaders in fanfiction.

My thanks to I_Was_BOTWP for being my Alpha for this story.

I did add this story to my YouTube channel so that you all could enjoy the song choices for each chapter. You also can follow me on Instagram and Tumblr: CrystalJeanRed is all my social media.

Oh, and if you have not already done so. OMG GO SEE CAPTAIN MARVEL! I took the kids today and it was AMAZING!

See you next time!  
Cjean


	6. Destiny

___**So who can stop me if I decide that you're my destiny?  
Rewrite the Stars**_

**Fate of Time**

**Chapter Six  
Destiny**

That Friday night Tom pulled her into a deserted classroom when they were on the way to the library and pulled out a bottle of clear liquid his face tense. "You will just ask the one question?"

Hermione took the bottle her eyes huge, he was going to let her dose him with Veritsirum? "No, I will ask a ton of questions," she said looking up at him with a small smirk.

He huffed at her, "Hermione," he said in a warning tone.

She shrugged. "Raise a finger to the ones you don't wish to reply to and I will silence you while you do," she gave him a long look, "consider this a trust exercise?"

Tom gave her a long look and then a short nod. "You have a half hour," he said looking at her wearily.

Hermione couldn't temper her shock before she nodded and after observing that the seal was unbroken she opened it magically and dropped the right amount onto his tongue, stunned he didn't even flinch. She waited and then when he nodded at her she sank down onto the floor and took a deep breath waiting for him to sit as well.

"I guess we should do a trial question. Name one thing you stole that Dumbledore found in your wardrobe when you were a boy?"

His eyes went wide and then he frowned, "A whistle?"

Hermione smirked, "You sound unsure."

He flushed and fidgeted. "I am, actually. I stole a lot. I was a bit of a prat as a child."

Hermione had to cover her chuckle, "Only as a child?"

He shivered with his lips tightly clamped shut and glared at her. His face was so annoyed that she couldn't help laughing now, "Okay, calm down."

They had a bit of a stare off and then Hermione sighed looking at him shocked he wasn't using occlumency and hadn't hexed her yet.

Not wanting to push her luck she started the interrogation. "Do you only have the one Horcrux?"

Tom sighed, "Yes."

Hermione tilted her head, "Why did you originally start walking me to class all the time?"

He frowned at her, "I didn't want the knights to get attached to you. I was jealous but didn't understand the feeling. You intrigued me, what you knew, your magical power, your self-control."

Hermione nodded, "So you were attracted to my power and knowledge?"

He shrugged, "Initially, yes."

"Why are you courting me?"

He hesitated a moment before he swallowed. "I don't know that I can define that. I want you. I don't think I can forget you. I feel possessive."

Hermione considered this and then sighed, "Do you wish to harm me?"

"Not anymore," he replied immediately.

She laughed and shook her head, "What do you hope to do with my memories?"

He again took a bit to respond before he said slowly, "I want to figure out why you are all I can think about. I need to know why I feel so- much- for you. I think your memories will help me understand you better and possibly this situation you find yourself in."

Hermione frowned, "So you want to help me?"

He frowned back at her his face fierce, "I want to save you."

Hermione sat back shocked, "Tom, you can't mean that!"

"I do," he said with no hesitation.

Hermione stood up looking down at him her face troubled, "I am a muggle born. Everything you hate."

"I don't hate you," he said standing up too.

She shook her head, "But you do. You hate what I represent. It goes against everything you are teaching your knights. What do you think will happen when your knights figure out I am not the pureblood they think I am?"

Tom frowned and walked forward his face a sight to behold, "No one will touch you. I will kill them if they even think it."

Hermione shivered and whispered, "You can't do that."

He slashed his hand through the air, "Why? I will not allow anyone to slander or hurt you."

Hermione felt tears well up in her eyes. "Tom, I am not meant to be yours. Even if I manage to get back to my time and you are somehow there, we can't be together. You are Lord Voldemort to the world, and I am the most famous mudblood."

He flinched and glared at her, "You don't know that. We could be fated. You have to be here for a reason."

She wiped at her eyes. "You think this is fate? I am falling for a man who has murdered, would do so again without hesitation."

"I have killed and I would kill for you."

Hermione gave a manic laugh and wrapped her arms around herself. "Do you see? I can't- you are asking me to do something I can't do. I shouldn't be falling in love with you."

Tom grabbed her and looked into her eyes. "You are falling in love with me?"

Hermione gave a soft sob and nodded. "I can't- you are evil. You have plans remember?"

"You changed my plans," he said softly before he pulled her forward and kissed her, hard.

Hermione yanked away and out of the kiss tears now streaming down her face. "Will you hurt me if you see something you don't like in my memories?"

Tom was breathing hard and he took a step back. "No."

Hermione stared at him for as long as she could before she turned and rushed out of the room. This wasn't possible. This just didn't make any sense. How could he be all she had ever wanted even with all his darkness. A darkness he didn't even apologize for.

Tom watched her run and paced the room until he was sure that the Veritsirum was out of his system. He had rounds but he had to make sure that Hermione was okay, that she was safe. He paused and remembered that her elf was named Slip.

"Slip," he called clearly. "I have a task for you regarding Hermione."

A small elf popped in and looked at him trembling. "Mister wants Slip to do something for her mistress?"

Tom nodded running a hand through his hair in agitation. "She is upset, please see to her and keep her in her rooms, keep her safe."

Slip looked at him for a long moment before she nodded and popped out.

"Fuck, this is ridiculous," Tom said spinning on his heel and storming out of the classroom.

**OooOOooOOoO**

The next morning after a silent breakfast Hermione nodded at Tom.

"Get Dolohov and I will show you what you wish to know, bring the Diary," she whispered before she rushed off to say goodbye to her Aunt who he knew was going away for the weekend to visit friends.

Tom went to his dorm and on a whim grabbed the ring as well as the Diary. He left the necklace where it was and went out to grab Dolohov who followed him looking confused.

They met Hermione in the Great Hall and she moved quickly through the castle, slipping through hallways and corridors he knew Dolohov had no clue about. When they got to the deserted corridor Dolohov's eyes bugged out of his head when Hermione started pacing in front of a blank section of wall and a door appeared.

"Salazar, what the hell is this?" Dolohov asked in awe.

Hermione sighed, not wanting to deal with the man, "Come and go room, come along please."

Dolohov followed her in and looked around stunned at the room full of books and the plush couch by a roaring fire. "That's a pensive!" He said in excitement as he got a look at what was on the small table by the couch.

Hermione gave a small smile. "Well, Tom, it would appear the room can give us a pensive. I wonder if it just stole Dumbledore's for us and he is missing it?"

Tom snorted and set the diary down before taking the ring off his finger and studying it for a moment. "I want you to wear this until you leave."

Hermione blanched. "I-Tom- I can't and when you see what I have to show you, I think you will understand why."

Tom frowned at her clearly annoyed that she refused his ring.

She tried to smile at him and then said quietly. "Let us start."

Hermione took the diary and then called for Slip, who showed up looking confused. "Slip, you are in charge of this artefact until I call for it again. Please hide it but do not attempt to handle it. You are not to tell anyone you know of this artefact and will never speak of it."

Tom frowned at this and watched as the elf took the diary with what looked like a terrified expression and disappeared.

"She is loyal to you or the school?" he asked for clarification.

Hermione sighed. "To the Tullie family of which I am, so me."

Tom nodded and rolled his shoulders. "Right, Dolohov get over here we are doing an unbreakable vow."

Dolohov moved forward his face curious. "Why?"

Tom snorted, "Don't worry about it." He turned to Hermione and spoke to her in French. "He is pants in French. I can just nudge him when he needs to perform the magic."

Hermione shrugged, but also spoke in French, "My memory charm would hold."

Tom raised an eyebrow, "I don't care; I don't want him privy to our business even if you are removing the knowledge when we are done."

"Um, so when do I start the spell?" Dolohov asked in confusion.

Tom sighed, "I will tell you when it is time."

Hermione smirked and said. "Do you, Tom Riddle, promise to allow me to remove any of the knowledge I am about to show you when we have finished discussing it if I see fit to do so?"

"I do."

Tom elbowed Dolohov who figured out he should do the spell and did, moving his wand over their clasped hands.

"Do you Tom Riddle swear that you will not harm me, or order another to do so?"

He frowned at her his eyes flashing with anger that she would still need to put this in the vow even after she had asked him the same question under Veritsirum. "I do."

Another elbow and another magical ribbon.

Hermione nodded. "Do you Tom Riddle swear to keep me out of harm's way while you hold this knowledge and I am in this timeline to the best of your ability?"

"I do."

One more elbow and another ribbon.

"Do you Tom Riddle promise not to write, transcribe, share, or in any way save this information I am about to share with you with any of your knights or sympathizers?"

"I do."

Another ribbon of magic as he elbowed Dolohov.

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "Do you, Tom Riddle, promise to not harm, alter the memory, or seek out the house elf Slip, for as long as you live? Nor will you order another to do so."

Tom narrowed his eyes back at her, fuck she had trapped him there. He had considered he would need to alter the memory of the elf since she knew of the diary.

"I do," he said angrily.

Dolohov performed the spell again and now it was Tom's turn.

"Do you, Hermione Tuille, swear to not tamper with my diary while it is in your possession."

Hermione didn't look away as she said in a calm pure voice. "I do."

She smiled serenely and nodded at Dolohov who performed the magic and then looked at Tom who dropped their hands.

Tom flexed his fingers feeling the magical vow inside himself. He turned and froze Dolohov who was looking at them in confusion and Hermione sighed heavily before she took away his memories and they sent him on his way Tom telling him to find Avery and do some idiotic task.

They had waited at the stairs as Dolohov came back to himself and Hermione turned first and walked back into the room, followed by Tom who warded the door as it shut.

"It disappears," Hermione said wearily rubbing her nose between her eyes.

She waved her wand and small vials flew from her pocket to line up on the table where his ring still sat.

"Wear it while you have my journal," Tom said his tone hard.

Hermione bit her lip but finally took the ring and put it on, he narrowed his eyes to see that she chose her right ring finger and not her left, the ring seemed to shape itself to fit her; he hadn't realised it could do that.

"How long will it take for me to view all of this?"

Hermione seemed to consider the question for a moment before she responded, "I started with my first year and moved forward and added anything I know about Lord Voldemort in as well. I have no idea how long this will take."

Tom nodded and took the first memory staring at it, "Will you be joining me?"

She shook her head, "No, thank you."

**OooOOoOOoO**

Tom stepped out of the sixth memory his face grim, there were still more left. He hadn't spoken to her and she was huddled in the corner with her favourite blanket looking pale fiddling with his ring on her finger.

He took the memory out and handed it to her, watching her destroy it. She must have made copies so that she still retained the information. He shook his head to clear it and wondered how she could sit there looking so calm with all of that trauma in her head. Not knowing what to say and wanting to get through the rest of the memories he dumped the seventh into the pensive and dove in. The entire process was unnerving him, he felt ill, he hadn't been far off when he had decided that she was far less delicate than she looked. She had been fighting for her life, fighting against his future self, since she was twelve. It was a rather revolting revelation. He had stolen her entire childhood.

By the time he finished the ninth pensive which was the battle as she recalled it he was pale, sweating, and shaking.

"Can this room provide tea?"

Hermione shook her head, "No, I can call for Slip," she did so and he felt himself sink down watching her retrieve the memory and destroy it.

"Well?"

He shook snorted staring at her, "I am touched in the head."

Hermione's eyes went wide and she nodded, "Ah, you seem to be, yes."

Slip arrived with tea and disappeared quickly.

Tom poured for them both and then handed her one of the small sandwiches. "That isn't me, I wouldn't do all that. There is no reason to it. It's just senseless. No finesse at all. I recognize nothing of myself in the monster you know me to be. Perhaps it is because of how many times the soul is split?"

Hermione frowned at this and then shrugged. "Do you feel like you are less sane after the diary?"

He paused considering this. "My temper is shorter."

She gave a small nod and then sighed. "Did you find what you were looking for by seeing all this?"

He snorted. "Yes and no. I wanted to understand how I could be in the same place at the same time as myself. Time shouldn't allow it, your use of the time turner, remember how you had to make sure you never directly interacted with yourself?"

Hermione nodded. "I could tear the fabric of time if I got too close to myself."

"Right, well I think I somehow become two people. The person who does all that," he waved at the pensive and sighed. "And the person who kills Lord Voldemort in the great hall."

"How could that even be possible?"

Tom drank his tea feeling chilled. "I would have to become someone so different that I would not tear the fabric of time by being so close to myself."

Hermione looked at him her brows furrowed. "But then how would you still become the Dark Lord?"

He shook his head. "I have no idea. But I need to take a walk. You have my diary and ring; I will be back."

Hermione fiddled with the ring. "I don't feel comfortable wearing this, even if it's not yet a Horcrux. I don't want Dumbledore getting too close a look at it. You saw why."

Tom sighed and waved his wand at it, transfiguring it into an oval emerald in the same metal as the ring itself. "There, perfectly respectful."

Hermione sighed and nodded moving the ring to her left ring finger and smirking at him. "Was that a proposal?"

Tom felt a smile play at his lips. "No, I will be back in about an hour."

Hermione gestured to the books. "I will be here, reading these books the castle has apparently found for me."

Tom nodded and left abruptly.

Hermione stared after him and with a large sigh sat back to ponder all that he had said. While she certainly had interacted with herself when they had needed to rescue Buckbeak and Sirius, Tom was right. She had been careful to never get too close to herself. Although no book, unspeakable's or even Dumbledore had never explained what exactly would happen, it seemed to be something you wished to avoid.

"Awful things happen to those who meddle with time," Hermione whispered turning the ring on her finger and frowning into the cheery fire the room had provided.

"Am I not meddling with time now?"

Hermione closed her eyes as silence greeted her.

* * *

**Author Notes:**

Alpha love to Diane...  
You all know I don't own Harry Potter but here is where I cover my ass and declare I don't own the characters or make money off my fanfiction.

I did end up splitting the chapter and adding more scenes. I really appreciate y'all who are taking the time to leave reviews. I can't think of a way to articulate how important they are to me. You cause me to think, to question, to wonder, to cry, and bring me such joy. WIP's are not everyone's cup of tea- I get it. But, to those of you who take the time to be apart of this process with us- thank you, thank you so much. No review is unwelcome on my fics. Please know that.

My surgery is on April 10th. My hubby arrives from Washington on the 9th and I should be hospitalized for only two days, maybe less, possibly more.

Not sure how many meds I will be on, but if I don't update you can always find me on Instagram: CrystaJeanRed.  
I also admin Enchanting the Bookworm on Facebook and run the social media accounts for the group. If you are worried about me, anyone in ETB can give you an update if I go dark. Thank you for all the well wishes and prayers and reviews.


	7. Find Me

_Music is my muse:  
__**In another life,  
in another life maybe,  
in another life,  
you must have been mine.  
In Another Life**_

**Fate of Time**

**Chapter Seven  
Find Me**

Tom walked the lake deep in thought but careful to occulate for all he was worth. He wasn't sure what would happen if he broke the vow but it couldn't be good. He found himself walking into the forest so lost in his thoughts he didn't even realize he was at the spot he usually met with Bane.

"She has shown you what you should not know."

Tom looked up and nodded. "She has. I will become a monster."

Bane gave a short nod. "The bringer of two wars. But your soul is split."

Tom paused as he realized this and looked up. "That's it isn't it? I have split myself, that is how I become two wizards?"

Bane studied him for a moment and then said slowly. "Yes, there is a spell, you will find it. However, you still must love her to save her. You must be whole to perform the spell on the human."

"She thinks I cannot love. I was conceived with a love potion, so I can not love."

Bane grunted. "You will rewrite your own soul, mend the tear you were born with as well as the one you made with the Horcrux."

"A spell?"

Bane shook his head. "In a way. When you re-knit your broken soul, you have to put love back in."

Tom frowned not understanding this but nodding storing the information for later. "So, I can love just not as I am now?"

Bane stomped his hoof. "You lust for her, you are obsessed with her, you are possessive of her, that is not yet love."

Tom made a face at this but didn't argue with the magical creature. "Why do you speak with me?" he asked suddenly.

Bane gave him an amused look. "You are an heir to one of the founders."

Tom shook his head. "No, it's more than that. You sought me out, why?"

Bane shrugged and waved his hand towards the sky. "The stars foretold our meeting. I but follow them."

"How am I able to speak with you about this? Shouldn't the vow stop me?"

Bane stomped his hoof and then gazed up at the sky his face thoughtful. "I believe it is in the intent. She protected the world if your intent was malicious or to harm. You seek to save her, that is why you are able to speak to me."

Tom pondered this before he shook his head. "I have to get back; I will be telling her about you."

"We will meet her, if not now in her next time." Bane said shrinking back into the forest.

Tom frowned at this and turned to walk back to the room of requirement.

**OoOOoOoO**

Hermione looked up as the door slammed open. "I have figured out how I am in the same place at the same time."

Hermione frowned at him. "How?"

Tom sank down and took her hand. "I am a damaged soul, I split my soul, a portion lies in the diary but the other damaged portion lies inside me. I just have to move part of the diary's soul into a copy of myself."

Hermione frowned thinking over what he was saying before she whispered. "A living golem?"

He nodded. "Kept going by my soul and magic. It explains why I am so unbalanced. The golem would only have half of that one portion of my soul and then split it continuously."

Hermione closed her book and sat it down before she took his hand in both of hers. "That would explain things. The soul must be diluted the more you split it the less human you become. Then when you get the second body something else happens, maybe you use Nagini to help with that body?"

Tom frowned at her pushing hair off her face. "The snake?"

Hermione shrugged her face troubled. "Well, you do become very snake-like, and you make her a Horcrux."

Tom nodded his face showing shock and disgust, "I find it hard to believe I made a living creature a Horcrux. I would never consider doing that."

Hermione sighed and shook her head. "We did agree you were nutters."

He snorted at this and was quiet for a long time before he said slowly. "I don't know the spell for the golem yet, I think it's a potion. I will have to figure that out."

Hermione looked at him curiously. "You have to be in your twenties when that happened based on the age you appear in my memories."

Tom nodded and looked up at her. "And to save you, I must love you more than I love myself."

Hermione went totally still locked in his gaze. "I- well how could you? I will disappear."

"For a bit."

Hermione shook her head dismissing this and moving on to the next question she had. "But how are you still twenty and not seventy in my memories?"

Tom smirked. "I have no idea, another question for another day. I only have two answers today. I eventually make a golem and put part of the soul from the diary into it and I love you, more than I love myself, or you would already be gone from time."

Hermione was shaking. "How can you be so sure of that?"

"Because when I asked Bane to teach me how to save you he said he could not until I loved you more than myself. Obviously, I do the spell, so we know that eventually- I love you Hermione Tullie."

"Granger." She whispered softly. "I am Hermione Jean Granger, a muggleborn, and you couldn't possibly love me."

Tom smiled at her shaking his head. "Moot point lets figure out how I stay twenty."

Hermione shook her head. "I have to remove the memories."

Tom squeezed her hands. "No, I have to have these memories in this body, Hermione, or I can't save you or kill Lord Voldemort."

She went still as she realized what he was saying. "You already make a golem, even if I take the memories-"

He nodded. "The Golem will have only the memories I put into it. So, clearly, it does not remember you. But my twenty-year-old self figures out a way to rework destiny and save you and kill the golem. I think he needs these memories to do all that."

"But when time erases me, what if the memories disappear? They must in a way for no one else to remember me later."

Tom shook his head. "We will figure out a way around that. I will remember you, you may take key elements of the wars, things I do not need. But, please, leave me what I need to save you."

Hermione bit her lip shaking her head. She couldn't leave him with any memories, could she? "This is a lot to take in," she said helplessly. "If we are fated, as you think, shouldn't we recognize that somehow? You never show any interest in me as Lord Voldemort. I am just an enemy to strike down."

He frowned at her. "I think my soul will always remember you, but the further I get from the original source - the diary - the less of myself I maintain."

"Why do you think that?"

He gave an embarrassed smile. "Something you said about the necklace. How it didn't upset you to wear it. It is thought to be the third Horcrux, yes?"

Hermione nodded thinking over her time with the necklace. "It…it would whisper to me, try to comfort me. I thought it was how it decided to torment me." At his odd look, she sighed. "Get me to like it, so I would not hurt it."

Tom tilted his head. "Yes, that could be the case."

She shivered and rubbed her arms. "Your diary did much of the same with Ginny before it tried to kill her."

He flinched, he had seen that in her memories and had no excuse for it. Not that she seemed to require one from him. She shook her head her face deep in thought. He watched her, letting her think. Not even trying to slip into her head and peek at her thoughts.

Hermione felt more confused then she could even explain. "I- can I think on this for the rest of the day?"

Tom nodded and looked around the vast library of hidden texts. "I have some research to do."

**OooOOooOooOoO**

Hermione took her time walking around the lake her cloak pulled tight around her and she found herself walking into the forest before she halted as a Centaur came out and then her eyes went wide.

"Bane!"

He nodded and studied her. "I suppose you are pretty for a human," he said in a bored tone. "The stars foretold us that you had more questions for me."

Hermione sighed. "Is what you told Tom correct?"

"I told him little, he worked out most of it himself. But yes, it is correct, he creates a golem with a part of his stored soul."

Hermione nodded nibbling on her lip. "I trust him, but that defies rational thinking."

Bane chuckled. "You trust a man who has killed, it does not sit well with you. I can assure you this, daughter of Helen, he will have to atone for that. When he tells you he loves you, he does so with a full soul. He could not do the spell he did on you otherwise. Knowing what you know of Horcruxes what does that tell you? He will have to repair his soul to be with you when you need him in the battle."

Hermione frowned at this and nibbled her lip, "But he was conceived with a love potion, yet you claim he can love me?"

Bane inclined his head. "You are very smart for a human. I do not know how to explain what he will have to go through to repair the damage he was born with and that which he did to his soul himself, I can just tell you that he does it."

Hermione gasped as she took in the centaur's words and rushed away without even saying goodbye.

"Rude as always," Bane said with disdain.

"You have shocked the poor child; I am sure she meant no disrespect."

Bane snorted at his elder and they faded back into the forest.

**OOOoooOOO**

Hermione found Tom still in the Room of Requirement lost in a text and taking notes. She smiled as she realized dinner was waiting for her.

"Did you call my elf to have her bring us dinner?"

He grunted looking up and smirked. "Didn't have to, she showed up and just left it. Where did you go?"

Hermione sighed sitting down and slowly turning the ring around her finger. "I went for a walk around the lake," she said taking off the ring and transfiguring it back. "Put this back on, I have made up my mind."

He took the ring with a small frown and put it on his ring finger watching her carefully. "What have you decided?"

Hermione sighed and looked at him, allowing him to fall into her mind. "I will trust you."

She watched his breath go still and then he stood up, pulling her up with him his eyes bright, frantic. "You will trust me?"

Hermione nodded and swallowed her fear. "I trust you, Tom Riddle."

He pulled her into his body kissing the top of her head. "But can you forgive me? You know… you know my darkness."

Hermione pulled back her eyes full of tears. "And you know mine. I kill just as easily as you do. I fought a war, does that make me less desirable?"

He flinched and cupped her cheeks with his hands. "More desirable, actually. However, my sins are much greater."

Hermione nodded. "I know."

Tom Riddle considered the slip of a witch in front of him and felt something in his stomach; like he was going to be sick.

At her smirk, he frowned at her, "what?"

She shook her head and smiled at him. "You aren't going to be sick, it's nerves. You are nervous, I am too. It feels like butterflies are in my stomach."

He paused as he thought this over and nodded. "An apt description, I have never felt this."

Hermione flushed and ducked her head. "I have but not as strong," she whispered.

Tom frowned. "That boy, the Bulgarian? What happened between you two?"

Hermione looked up and shrugged her face still pink but her eyes dancing with laughter. "I was fifteen and he was eighteen. We danced, he kissed my hand and was perfectly respectful."

Tom searched her eyes and she sighed showing him the memories. He frowned not liking the way the wizard looked at her but finding nothing wrong with his actions towards her. He was indeed perfectly respectful.

"You never kissed him?"

Hermione shook her head her eyes laughing. "I don't think he was allowed to kiss me. I was young, Tom."

He nodded and then frowned. "You have kissed before I kissed you last night though?"

She went pink again and sighed. "Ron and I kissed, at the battle. It was wet and I couldn't look at him afterwards."

Tom growled and then paused. "Wet?"

Hermione nodded. "He slobbered all over me. So, yes, wet." Tom grinned at this knowing he looked delighted and laughed when she hit him. "Don't laugh, it was horrible."

Tom swooped down knowing he was about to take her by surprise and kissed her, his hands tangling in her hair to anchor her to him. He had learned to kiss last year, a girl whose name he couldn't recall at the orphanage. But he was sure, at least, that he would not slobber all over her. What he was unprepared for was the incredible feeling of her lips under his. The sweet taste of her lips, the small gasp she made that sent him into overdrive, pushing his tongue into her mouth where he groaned at the feel of her.

Desire, an emotion he had only felt when doing magic, washed over him leaving him breathless. He pulled her closer to him and lifted his mouth, he was shaking, him!

"Hermione?"

Her eyes fluttered open and he was lost in whiskey pools of fire. "Tom?"

"May I continue?"

He watched her lips twitch and then his little witch pulled him down and kissed him, nibbling on his lower lip and making him almost mad with the sensation of it all. He pulled her over to the couch and sank down pulling her into his lap and not giving her a chance to end the kiss. He could kiss her for the rest of time and be perfectly content.

Well, maybe not just kiss. His heart accelerated as he felt her hands in his hair. He wanted her, he wanted something that wasn't power, he wanted this witch and he wanted her more than anything else he had ever wanted in his life. Was this the beginning of love?

"I don't know," she whispered against his lips startling him.

"What?"

Hermione laughed and kissed around his jaw. "I don't know if this is love, I think it is lust."

Tom snorted running his hands over her back and tilting his head as she kissed him. "This feels stronger than lust. I have felt lust."

Hermione paused and sucked at a point by his ear. "Have you?"

Tom pulled away and met her eyes, allowing her to see a memory no one had ever seen. The making of the Horcrux, a spell that climaxed with a potent amount of lust and him jerking off on the floor to relieve it.

She was pale but didn't flinch away from him. "Seductive, we have always been told dark spells are seductive."

Tom contemplated that before he nodded kissing her on the nose. "Not as seductive as you in my lap."

She smiled at him but rolled her eyes and leaned back, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I feel this is moving too fast, but I have no idea if I will still be here tomorrow. I don't know what to do?" her tone was breathless and made his very hard cock twitch.

"I want you, just for the weekend, you and me. Nothing else."

Hermione closed her eyes her head tilted and he knew she was thinking; she was always thinking his witch.

"We can't let Dumbledore know," she finally said softly. "He will make trouble."

"No one will ever know what we do in private, Hermione," Tom said defiantly.

She smirked opening her eyes. "Thank you, for saying that."

Tom felt upset for a moment before he realized she had been a Gryffindor. The idiots probably liked to spread around their conquests.

He held her closer to him and sighed. "I will send a message to Nott, he will make our excuses at meals."

Hermione shrugged. "I will have Slip tell my Aunt I am studying and eating in my rooms if she inquires after me."

Tom nodded. "Well, Slip will be feeding us. Will she not tell where we really are?"

Hermione shook her head before tucking it in the crook of his neck and breathing in his scent. "No, she would not." She sighed and then said loudly. "Slip, if you please."

The elf popped in looking at her expectantly. "You can bring back the artefact. I will be staying here with Tom. Can you bring us meals and our clothes please?"

Slip nodded and snapped her fingers, a large four-poster bed with luxurious hangings in deep green appeared and the elf was gone and back before they had even had time to take in the large bed. Tom's breathing accelerated as he realized he would be sleeping with her.

"I have never slept with someone," he said softly still looking at the bed.

Hermione pulled off his lap and reached for the food. "Um, either have I."

He scoffed at this. "I knew that."

She glared at him before rolling her eyes. "Why have you never taken a lover?"

Tom shrugged reaching for the chicken waiting for them under a heating charm, and pulling her back into his lap, feeding her a bite and rubbing her lower lip with his finger. "I have never wished to until I met you."

"Neither have I," she said hesitantly sinking further into his lap.

Tom sighed feeling the butterflies in his stomach again and fed her some more chicken. "Eat, if you are not the same weight when your Aunt next sees you she will fuss."

Hermione smiled and sucked playfully at his finger. "She would. She has worked very hard to fatten me up this year."

Tom shuddered and pulled his finger away from her teasing mouth. "I don't like what you will face," he frowned, "have faced. You almost starved."

Hermione let out a deep breath. "I live, Tom. Many do not, but I do. And you save me, you love me."

"Oh I do?" he asked playfully feeding her another bite of chicken.

Hermione smiled at him but her eyes were sad. "I don't know how you get to that point and I am terrified for you, but somehow after you make the golem you manage to heal your soul and you can love."

Tom looked down at her meeting her eyes and falling into her conversation with Bane, his eyes widened and he went a little pale. "He made it sound rather ominous."

Hermione nodded and hugged him to her resting her head under his chest. "He does. So I suppose when it comes down to it I am just as afraid for you as you are for what I have to face."

He massaged her scalp and scoffed, "have faced," he said angrily.

Hermione rubbed her hands down his arm trying to calm him. "It's okay, it isn't you, not really."

"I don't understand how you can forgive so easily, Hermione."

Hermione sighed. "I don't know, but, I think the more I am around you the more I realise I belong with you, who you will be, that wizard who stood in front of Harry, no one has ever protected him like that. Even Dumbledore did not. You walked in and saved him, and then you saved me. I know you will be that man, and I love that man. I see that man in you now. No matter what happens, no matter what I walk back into after time erases me, I know you love me. You love me enough to protect Harry and to send me here, to you."

They were quiet for a while eating small bites of food and both introspective. Finally, Tom sat her up turning her so that he could look her in the eye. "I will move heaven and earth to become that man, Hermione. There is nothing I would not suffer to be sure that I am that wizard that day."

Hermione took a deep breath and framed his face lovingly. "I know, deep inside of me I know that," she moved forward and kissed him deeply sighing as his hands moved up her sides to cup her shoulders.

Tonight would change everything and nothing.

What was it her mother had always told her?

I trust you is better than I love you. Because you may not trust the person you love, but you can always love the person you trust.

Hermione Granger trusted Tom Riddle.

* * *

**Author Notes:**  
I am really reworking this ending as I have time now.  
Thank you for all the love and support.  
Also, that quote on trust and love. One of the first men I loved in my youth said that to me. I have found it to be very true. So very true.  
The surgery went well, the complications afterwards kicked my tush. I got rhinovirus and it really really sucks. I also threw another clot and ended up in intensive care, again. It was just another year in the life  
This chapter has actually been finished for months. I just forgot about it. Why? Well, I am going through a separation and a divorce. I am now in the South with my kids and healing. In more ways than one.  
Thank you for your support.  
Don't worry. I will be okay. There is a new Taylor Swift album here to give me hope.  
Cheers,  
Cjean


	8. Keeper of the Stars

**_ It was no accident, me loving you._**  
**_Someone had a hand in it.  
__Long before we ever knew.  
__  
Keeper of the Stars_**

**Time Destiny Fate  
Chapter 8  
Keeper of the Stars**

Tom watched the witch on his lap as she slept. They had eaten dinner and then played a game she called scrabble. Why she had such a thing on her person had him smiling as he pushed her soft curls out of her face.

She had of course won and he had been annoyed, something she had found very funny. They had played gin next with a deck of playing cards and he had soundly beaten her.

The wine they had been sipping all night seemed to have finally caught up with her because she had yawned, cuddled into him and fallen asleep an hour ago.

Standing up he carried her over to the large bed and sat her down, frowning at her clothes.

It didn't feel right to strip her.

"Slip?"

The elf popped in and without him even asking snapped her fingers and changed her mistress into a flowing white gown that must be for sleeping.

"Thank you," Tom said hoarsely swallowing a few times as he looked at the beauty in the bed.

Slip gave a brisk nod and was gone again with a soft pop.

Tom walked over to where his clothes had been laid out and changed into soft sleeping trousers. He left off the shirt and climbed into the bed wondering how he would turn out the lights. When just after he thought the question, the lights dimmed and went out leaving only the fire, he smirked and pulled Hermione into his arms.

Magic, Tom thought, was simply wonderful.

**OooOoOOo**

Hermione woke slowly and then went still as she realised she was not alone and in a strange room. At a soft snore, she turned and then smiled as she saw Tom sleeping next to her and the memories of the previous night came back to her.

Moving her legs she frowned as she felt the soft fabric of her nightgown and must have wiggled enough to wake him up because his arms tightened around her and he nuzzled her neck.

"Your elf changed you. Efficient little thing, isn't she?"

Hermione let out a small breathy laugh and cuddled into him, soaking up his warmth and the scent of him. It was unique, just like the man in her arms.

"She is a bit. Sorry, I fell asleep on you."

She got a soft grunt and his hands slowly moving up her back. "Sore head?"

Hermione titled her head up to see him and frowned. "Hmm?"

His hand was now massaging the back of her neck as he smiled. "You drank rather a lot of wine."

Hermione shook her head and then laughed. "It makes me sleepy but I don't usually get hangovers."

Tom snorted at this and rolled over pulling her onto his chest. "Of course you don't," he said in a matter of fact tone.

Hermione rubbed her nose in his chest and then went still as she suddenly remembered that she was in only her nightdress, in a bed, with a half-naked man.

"We do not need to do anything, Hermione," he said softly.

She looked up and let out a slow breath. "Do you not want to?"

He looked down at her and raised one eyebrow mockingly and she shook her head laughing. "Right, you are male. Of course, you want to."

"Want, but will not unless you wish too as well."

Hermione rested her chin on her hands on his chest and met his intense gaze. "I do want to, Tom. I just do not know what to do and that leaves me feeling rather off-centred."

It was his turn to chuckle his hands tangling in her curls. "I suppose you do not often not know what you are to do."

Hermione mock glared at him and then closed her eyes. "I actually don't know what to do rather a lot. I just hide it until I can research it."

Tom was shaking with laughter as he pulled her up so that he could lay kisses all over her face. "Shall we ask the room for books so that you can research this then?"

Hermione opened her eyes to glare at him but in the face of his mirth found herself smiling too. "Yes, that would be lovely." When his eyes widened she let out a loud laugh and leaned forward to kiss his nose. "Silly, man. I am sure we can figure this out."

Tom seemed to pause for a moment and then he was kissing her and Hermione was sure that she was going to combust. Everything was all at once hot and then cold. He had rolled her over him and one of his hands was at her thigh, raising it so that his hand brushed her bare skin as the skirt of her gown fell up her legs.

Hermione wrapped her arms around him and held on as her world tilted. Seductive. The dark arts had nothing on the feeling she had right now in this moment.

Tom was slender and muscular and she could feel goose pebbles on his skin where she touched him. He sighed into her mouth as she moved her hands down his back.

"How do you feel?"

Hermione shivered as he whispered the question into her ear right before he nibbled on her ear lobe.

"Fantastic, you?" She replied cheekily before catching her breath as he bit down on her ear lobe.

"Cheeky witch," was said with a small chuckle before he moved to kiss down her neck and she lost the ability to think for a moment.

"Hermione."

She looked up and smiled dreamily at him as he bunched her nightgown up and lifted her slowly pausing to kiss her again before he carefully raised her clothing, waiting for her to stop him. When she didn't he went a bit feral and ripped it over her head before he was back to kissing her his body flush with hers.

Hermione hissed as their naked chests met and then arched into him when his hand found her breast between them.

"How are you so soft?" he asked in wonder.

Hermione let out a small gasp and then moaned as he moved down her body. The room was still cast in shadows but the fire had roared to life as if knowing they would need the light and the warmth.

"Why am I the only one naked?" Hermione countered pulling at his sleep pants.

"Witch, can you not give me a moment to worship you?"

Hermione thought that sounded lovely so she dropped her hands and twisted them in the soft sheets beneath her.

Tom gazed down at her breathing hard through his nose as he attempted to calm himself. He had to make this amazing for her. He knew if he didn't she could be hurt and he would not hurt her. He could not hurt her. She was his world. She offered him something he had never thought to gain.

She trusted him. She forgave him.

It was more than he deserved, and after seeing her memories, more than he could ever hope for.

She was soft, beautiful, and belonged to him.

"I have never wanted anything as much as I want you right now," he said huskily moving to kiss her collar bone before taking one of her pert nipples into his mouth and smiling at her gasping moan. "You are beautiful, brilliant, and I will do anything to make sure you are safe."

Her next moan as he moved to her other nipple had him jerking his hips.

"Tom," was said huskily as he moved down her stomach biting softly as he did.

He paused again and then gently let his hand cup her quim. It was hot and he could feel her moistness, a testament to the desire she too felt. He looked up at her and saw that her eyes were closed and a soft smile played at her lips. If she was still nervous, it didn't show.

It was his turn to feel his stomach flip as he settled himself so that he could smell her incredible arousal. Softly he parted her and then licked her clit. She jumped and moaned and he settled into his task. While he had never taken a lover, he had done the research on such things. What the books told, however, was quite different from the actual experience.

Her scent was intoxicating. The taste of her was better than any sweet or wine. The feel of her under him, it was making him dizzy.

What power was this?

He had never thought to do something so carnal solely for someone else's pleasure. But, as he used his tongue and fingers to pleasure this amazing creature beneath him he felt more powerful than he had ever done experimenting with magic.

Twisting his fingers inside of her tightness he let out a long moan and sucked hard at her clit.

"Tom!"

He moved up her body and yanked his hand out of her, kissing away her protest as he pulled off his clothing.

"Inside, I must be inside of you," he said frantically reaching down to line his cock up to her slick heat.

"Yes!"

Tom felt himself slipping inside of her and froze.

She was a virgin. How could he have forgotten what that meant? She was too tight, he would hurt her.

"Hermione! Hermione! Where is a wand?"

She was withering beneath him and it was torture to stop, but he had to, he would not hurt her.

"What? I am on a potion we do not need to do the spell. Tom!"

He shook his head kissing her frantically and gripping her hips to stop her from pushing him further into her. "I don't want to hurt you. There is a spell to numb you so that you do not feel pain this first time."

A small wail left her lips before the little hellcat in his arms managed to yank one of his hands off her hips.

"Yes, I know. It would also mean that I felt no pleasure. Life is not one thing or the other, Tom. Sometimes there is pain before you can feast. Come inside me, just be slow, it will be fine."

Tom hesitate another second before he moved his hands and forced her head to still so that they were looking in one another's eyes. Swiftly he dropped his occlumency walls and let her inside his head; let her feel what he felt as he pushed inside of her. Her eyes went wide with the abruptness of it but the incredible pleasure he was feeling washed over her and she sighed.

"Oh, Tom," she said reaching up to run her hand over his cheek and into his hair. "Thank you."

He nodded and tried to control his trembling. "Can you feel how you make me feel, Hermione?"

She gave a small smile and wiggled. "It doesn't sting anymore."

Tom blinked breaking the connection and kissed her greedily. "I have to move." She buried her face in his neck and he felt her nod and then let out a moan of his own as the little witch bit his shoulder. "Minx," he growled as he pulled out and then moved back inside of her. "Delectable little minx."

Her soft giggle was like a healing balm to his soul.

"Tom, please make love to me."

Holding her tighter to his chest, he did just as she asked.

**OooOOooOOOoo**

The weekend flew by for the two lovers. They spent most of their time locked in passion in the large bed. Both of them hardly slept. Slip dropped off food that was barely touched. It was as if they knew that once they left the room, they would be unable to regain the intense passion they had now.

Dusk of their last night found them in a large sunken bath that the room had provided. Tom had asked Slip for a few potions that he had dumped into the water before he had picked up his witch and settled her down in the fragrant water to soak with him.

"Are you sore?"

Hermione kissed his neck and shook her head burrowing into him and holding on so that she didn't float away.

"No. Not really. You?"

He snorted and ran his hand from her shoulders to her arse where he squeezed and then playfully swatted her. "'Course not you silly witch." He felt her silent laughter and leaned back closing his eyes. "How do I keep my hands off you tomorrow?"

Hermione stopped laughing and let out a quiet mew of distress. "Tomorrow? How do I sleep without you tonight?"

He snorted at that and pulled her closer to him. "I have a meeting tonight after dinner I can not miss. Dumbledore would know and I don't want him looking too closely at where I have been this weekend."

Hermione shuddered and then nodded sitting up a bit and pulling her hair up and into a knot before she sunk down in the water and grabbed the soap. "Let's get you ready then."

Tom smiled down at her indulgently. "You think to wash me?"

Hermione's grin was wide. "I can call Slip instead."

He snorted at that and lifted her up from under her arms to kiss her deeply. "No elves when we are naked. You agreed."

Hermione giggled before she pulled away and started using the soft sponge on him. "Then that just leaves me to clean you and get you to your Prefects meeting. We can't have the Head Boy late, now can we?"

At the devilish glint in her eyes, Tom realised that he probably, was in fact, going to be late.

But as her small hands moved over him he did not have it in him to care.

OoOOOooO

Hermione looked around her room, thankful that Slip had apparently lit the fire ahead of her arrival. Her hair was still a bit damp from the evening's bath. She had not attempted fellatio on Tom yet, so she wasn't sure where she had found the idea to do so in a bath. Sighing dramatically she hugged herself and spun in a circle. It had been a wonderful idea and the look on his face would forever be burned in her memory.

Turning she walked towards her chair and towers of books. She wanted to look into some potions she remembered reading about. She was rather sure one might work to help make the golem.

She was just two steps away from the chair by the fire when it happened. Her world started to get fuzzy again, static seemed to creep upon her. She blinked and tried to yell out to Slip. But, before she could do anything more than open her mouth in horror- the world went black.

**OoOoooOooO**

Tom had to work hard not to skip down the halls as he left the meeting and headed back to the Slytherin dormitories. He had decided that he would figure out a way to stay with Hermione tonight.

The closer he got to the dormitories, however, the more his good mood faltered, replaced by intense worry. By the time he made it into the common room, Tom Riddle Jr was running.

He made it to her room within moments and wrenched open the door.

It was empty.

No wards, no books, no Hermione.

He fell to his knees and didn't comprehend what he was seeing for a few moments before his bellow of rage and pain echoed through the girl's dormitory.

Later that night he would tell Slughorn that he had been investigating a strange noise when an old ward had tripped and caused him to feel incredible pain. The old wizard had bought it and sent him to the hospital ward.

Madam Tulle had treated him with a calming drought and sent him on his way with a smile. Never asking about her niece.

No one asked about her.

She had been right after all. Time it seemed, had erased her.

But, he remembered.

It was two days before he made it out to the forest to speak with the centaur.

"You will always remember her, for she is written in your sky as the keeper of your stars," Bane said his eyes for once not mocking him but rather full of what must be pity.

Tom had cried for the first time in his life that night alone in the forest after the Centaur had left him.

He had cried until he thought he might die.

He was heaving in silent sobs when a small hand fell on his head. "Master must not cry. Slip is goings' to help she is. Master needs to come with Slip. Mistress needs us she does."

* * *

**Authors Note:**

If you are wondering how long I have been saving this song to use in a chapter… the answer is, FOREVER!

I loved this song as a girl. It is a lyrical masterpiece.

What has changed over the last 25 years is that I no longer picture a romantic love when I hear this song. I picture my sweet babies. If you follow me on social media or from my other stories you might know this already, but in case you do not:

In October I tried to die again. I was hospitalized and my kids were taken by my husband, their father. As it is a civil matter, there was nothing to be done. I have been separated from them for almost two months now. I have landed in the Midwest in the home of a fellow fanfic author who has decided that I am not allowed to die. She has opened her home and is making sure we figure out what is going on with me. It helps that she is uniquely qualified to do so. She is an amazing nurse. Her husband and she have even bought a small camper trailer for me that the kids and I will be staying in when they come to visit over the holidays, this spring, and this summer.

The PE in October is my sixth clotting incident since my open heart surgery.  
My life is really scary right now.  
But, through all of this, you all have lifted me up and kept me going.

So, thank you. I appreciate you. And I hope I am lucky enough in life to always have this community of amazing humans surrounding me.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I think there are two more left in this story. I am also working on an Epilogue to Riddle This. ;)

Cheers,  
Cjean 


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